Contents

The

World English Bible

 

Translated by

Michael Paul Johnson

 

 

Based on the ASV 1901 and
original language versions

 

 

 

Public Domain

The World English Bible (WEB) FAQ

This Frequently Asked Questions document covers the following about the World English Bible (WEB):

Why create yet another English translation of the Holy Bible?

That is a good question. There are many good English translations of the Holy Bible. Unfortunately, all of them are either (1) archaic (like the KJV and ASV of 1901), or (2) covered by copyright restrictions that prevent unrestricted free posting on the internet or other media (like the NIV and NASB). The Bible in Basic English (BBE) was in the Public Domain in the USA (but not all countries) for a while, but its copyrighted status was restored by GATT. (The BBE used a rather restricted subset of English, anyway, limiting its accuracy and readability.) In other words, there is NO OTHER complete translation of the Holy Bible in normal Modern English that can be freely copied (except for some limited "fair use") without written permission from the publisher and (usually) payment of royalties. This is the vacuum that the World English Bible is filling.

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Why is the copyright such a big deal?

The copyright laws of most nations and the international treaties that support them are a mixed blessing. By granting authors and translators a legal monopoly (for a limited, but very long, time) on the right of copying and "first sale" of their works, the law makers have made writing and translating very profitable for some people whose works are in great demand. This has, no doubt, been a factor in the creation of many of the good Modern English translations of the Holy Bible that we now enjoy. The problem with this system, with respect to the Holy Bible, is that it has had the effect of limiting distribution of God's Word in modern languages. For example, I cannot legally post copies of the entire New International Version of the Holy Bible on my web site in a downloadable, searchable, and readily copyable format without the permission of the International Bible Society and Zondervan (copyright owner and publisher). Zondervan won't grant such permission unless they get a significant royalty (they quoted me $10,000 + $10/copy distributed) and unless I convince them that my Bible search software is "good enough" for them. Needless to say, the Bible search software that I am writing with the intention of distributing as donorware will not come with the NIV.

The problem of copyright protection of Modern English translations of the Holy Bible is not just significant on the Internet and various electronic information services. It also affects people who want to quote significant portions of Scripture in books, audio tapes, and other media. This drives up the price of preaching the Gospel. Basic economics tells us that this is not a good thing when our goal is to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). For example, the "free" Bibles that the Gideons place cost more if they use a modern version, like Thomas-Nelson's New King James Version, than if they use the (more difficult to read) King James Version.

Naturally, I'm not suggesting that we abolish the copyright law or that existing Modern English translations be immediately released to the Public Domain. I understand the way that the profits from the sales of the NIV, for example, help fund other language translations at the International Bible Society (as well as helping to enrich some folks at Zondervan). I also understand that the business of Bible sales has helped establish a good supply of Bibles in many parts of the world, in a variety of formats, sizes, styles, and colors. What we are doing is liberating at least one Modern English translation of the Holy Bible from all copyright restrictions -- a translation that is trustworthy, accurate, and useful for evangelism and discipleship.

Another concern where copyright restrictions come into play is in translation and creating derivative works. For example, the copyright notice of the NASB expressly forbids making translations or derivative works based on the NASB without getting permission from the Lockman Foundation. I don't know if they would make this easy or hard, expensive or cheap, but I do know that there will be no need to even ask when using the WEB.

Isn't it dangerous not to copyright the WEB?

No. Copyright protection is intended to protect the income of the copyright holder's sales of a work, but we are planning to GIVE AWAY the right to make copies of this version of the Holy Bible to anyone who wants it, so we have nothing to lose that way. There is some argument for copyrighting a Bible translation just to retain some legal control against some evil, cultic revision of a translation. The God's Living Word translations of John's Gospel and John's letters are copyrighted only for this reason, for example, even though blanket permission to make unlimited copies of that translation is published with them. This legal leverage is so much weaker than God's protection of His own Word that it is of questionable value. (See Revelation 22:18-19.) One other major concern is that somebody might later claim a copyright on the WEB and remove it from the Public Domain. Because there is a timely and public declaration of the Public Domain status of the WEB by those who are working on it, that would not work, and they would not be able to defend such a bogus copyright claim.

With a Public Domain work, there is a hazard of confusion if many people start revising it or making derivative works from it and call it the same thing. For that reason, the name "World English Bible" is a trademark that may only be used to identify the World English Bible as published by Rainbow Missions, Inc., and faithful copies of that work. In addition, official distributions of the World English Bible are often digitally signed to provide a tamper-evident seal.

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What is the WEB Revision?

The WEB Revision is an update of the American Standard Version of 1901, which is in the Public Domain. The revision is also in the Public Domain, which sets it apart from other revisions of the American Standard Version, like the New American Standard Bible and the Revised Standard Version. The first pass of the translation, which has already been done, was to convert about 1,000 archaic words and word forms to modern equivalents using a custom computer program. The second through seventh phases consist of manual editing and proofreading. The initial manual pass is to add quotation marks (the ASV of 1901 had none), update other punctuation, update usage, and spot check the translation against the original languages in places where the meaning is unclear or significant textual variants exist. The subsequent passes are to review of the results of the previous pass. In each pass, volunteers read the current draft, looking for typos, unclear passages, etc., then report back to the senior editor (Michael Paul Johnson <mpj@ebible.org>), who checks the suggestions and merges the best suggestions into the master draft. As this is going on, the draft at the WEB web page is updated.

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Who is behind the WEB Revision work?

Rainbow Missions, Inc., a Colorado nonprofit corporation -- and many volunteers who are born again and seeking to daily follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. If the Lord so moves you, tax-deductible financial gifts to help pay for WEB publishing and other costs associated with this project  may be made to:

Rainbow Missions, Inc.
PO Box 1151
Longmont CO 80502-1151
USA

Rainbow Missions gets its name from the rainbow that is a sign of the covenant between God and Noah, the rainbow around God's throne, and the rainbow that suddenly appeared in the clear blue sky right after I asked God what to name this ministry.

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Is the WEB a one-man translation?

Many people have been involved in the production and editing of the World English Bible from a variety of backgrounds. Because this is a revision of the American Standard Version of the Revised Bible, we start with the over 50 Evangelical scholars who worked on that project. They, in turn, relied on the work of those who had gone before them. We also rely on the work of many scholars who have found, compiled, combined, and published the excellent and highly accurate Hebrew and Greek texts from which we work. We also rely on the excellent lexicons of Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek that are available to us.

In addition to these excellent references that represent literally hundreds of years of combined labor by many committed Christian men and women, we have access to the United Bible Society handbooks on Bible translation and a large number of other English translations to compare and consult.

Among the volunteers who have contributed to this project, we have people who attend various churches, including Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, non-denominational, and many more. This broad representation helps guard against introducing sectarian bias into the work. In addition, the novel technique of publishing draft copies of the World English Bible on the Internet provides additional protection against bias, because all serious comments are carefully considered and the wording compared to the original language.

Although we don't demand credentials from people who comment on the translation by email, we do validate their comments before deciding what to do with them.

We do have one senior editor who is responsible for decisions regarding the text, but he is also accountable to several other Christians. Everyone who has authority to decide on the wording in the World English Bible believes in the inspiration by the Holy Spirit of the text as recorded by the original authors. In addition, we also believe that the Holy Spirit is still active in preserving the text and helps us in our work to the extent that we let Him.

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What are your qualifications to do translation work?

Standing on the shoulders of giants - those mighty men of God who provided the critically edited original language texts, translated other English versions (especially the ASV), wrote the great translation guides available from the American Bible Society, and the writers of the Greek & Hebrew study materials I use - is the most obvious. Others include having studied the Bible for years, studying several languages, and earning a Master's degree. None of those matter as much as the next reason. God called me to do this, and I willingly answered His call. God would not call me to do something without enabling me to do so. Without God's call, I would drop this project like a hot rock. Although many people contribute suggestions and typo reports, they are all checked before editing the master copy of the World English Bible.

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What is the WEB Translation Philosophy?

The WEB must

  • be done with prayer -- specifically prayer for inspiration by the Holy Spirit.
  • be accurate and reliable (Revelation 22:18-19).
  • be understandable to the majority of the world's English-speaking population (and therefore should avoid locale-specific usage).
  • be kept in the Public Domain (and therefore be done by volunteers).
  • be made available in a short time, because we don't know the exact time of our Lord's return.
  • preserve the essential character of the original 1901 publication.
  • use language that is not faddish, but likely to retain its meaning for some time.
  • render God's proper Name in the Old Testament as "Yahweh."
  • resolve unclear passages by referring to the original Hebrew and Greek.
  • be done with utmost respect for God and His Word.
  • be done by Christians from a variety of denominations and backgrounds.
  • retain (at least for now) the ASV 1901's pronoun capitalization rules (lower case "he" referring to God).
  • retain (in most cases) the ASV 1901's use of "he" when that word might mean ("he and/or she").
  • restrict footnotes to those which clarify the translation or provide significant alternate readings

Bible translation (as with any natural language translation) is a balancing act, where the translators seek to preserve the following:

  • The meaning of each thought or sentence.
  • The meanings of individual words in their context.
  • The shades of meaning implied by word forms, tense, etc.
  • The impact and tone of each passage.
  • The style of the original authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
  • Faithfulness to the target language (English, in this case).

Note that some of the above goals are at odds with one another, like preservation of the original style vs. faithfulness to the target language, and expressing the last bit of the shades of meaning vs. preserving the impact. Still, it is possible to retain a good balance. Different balance points are chosen by different translation committees. Indeed, many translations can be characterized by the weight the translators gave to each of the above items. For example, The Amplified Bible excels at getting the meaning across, but falls down hard on impact, style preservation, and faithfulness to the target language. The New Living Translation excels at preserving the meanings of entire thoughts, impact, and faithfulness to the target language, but loses some of the style and shades of meaning. The New International Version excels at most of the above, but loses some elements of style and some of the subtleties of wording. The World English Bible attempts to balance all of the above with a fairly literal translation.

Some people like to use the terms "formal equivalent" and "dynamic equivalent." Neither of these exactly describe what we are doing, since we have borrowed ideas from both, but I suppose that we are closer to formal equivalence than dynamic equivalence.

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What original language texts are you using?

Since this is primarily an update of the 1901 edition, the choices made by the original 50 or so Evangelical scholars that made this translation hold unless reference is made to the original languages to help with places where the Elizabethan English is not clear, or where major textual variants are known to exist. In this case, we are using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, also called The Stuttgart Bible, in the Old Testament, and the Byzantine Majority Text as published for use with The Online Bible in the New Testament (M-Text). This choice of Greek text is very close to what the KJV translators used, but does take advantage of some more recently discovered manuscripts. Although there are good scholarly arguments both for and against using the Byzantine Majority Text over the "Alexandrian" text based on the dating and critical editing work of Nestle and Aland and published by the United Bible Societies (UBS), we find the following to be compelling reasons:

  • The UBS text has a lot of "dropout" errors relative to the M-Text. Diligent scribes with a respect for God's Word are more likely to miss copying something (i.e. by skipping a line, etc.) than to make up a line to add in.
  • Different scribes copying the same passage aren't all likely to make the same mistakes at the same places, even though some mistakes are likely to be copied over many times.
  • When a scribe had a choice of manuscripts to copy, he would normally copy the one that he trusted the most, thus causing the most trusted text to be copied more often.
  • The UBS text relies heavily on the dating of the media upon which the text was written, but those texts that are used more and trusted more would both be copied more often and worn out from use sooner.
  • The UBS text is heavily weighted to a small number of manuscripts relative to those available to us, and relies heavily on one manuscript that was pulled from a trash can at a monastery.
  • The Holy Spirit takes an active interest in preserving what He has inspired.
  • In those few sections where the M-Text and UBS text differ significantly, I have taken my question of textual choice directly to God, and God chose to answer me by confirming in several different ways that reading which the M-Text rendered. The main passage in question is in Mark 16, but there are others, too. While I certainly don't claim to be infallible, I do know when to say, "Yes, Sir" and follow the direction I see the Lord pointing me in.

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How does the WEB compare to other translations?

The WEB is different enough to avoid copyright infringement, but similar enough to avoid incurring the wrath of God. By "different enough," I mean that the wording is about as different from any one Modern English translation as the current translations differ from each other. By "similar enough," I mean that the meaning is preserved and that the Gospel still cuts to the very soul. It is most similar to the ASV of 1901, of course, but I suppose that similarities will be found with other translations.

The WEB doesn't capitalize pronouns pertaining to God. This is similar to the NRSV and NIV, and the same as the original ASV of 1901. Note that this is an English style decision, because Hebrew has no such thing as upper and lower case, and the oldest Greek manuscripts were all upper case. I kind of prefer the approach of the KJV, NKJV, and NASB of capitalizing these pronouns, because I write that way most of the time and because it is a way of offering greater honor to God. I admit that it is kind of a throw-back to the Olde English practice of capitalizing pronouns referring to the king. This is archaic, because we don't capitalize pronouns that refer to our president. It is also true that chosing to capitalize pronouns relating to God causes some difficulties in translating the coronation psalms, where the psalm was initially written for the coronation of an earthly king, but which also can equally well be sung or recited to the praise of the King of Kings. Capitalizing pronouns relating to God also makes for some strange reading where people were addressing Jesus with anything but respect. In any case, in the presence of good arguments both ways, we have decided to leave these as they were in the ASV 1901 (which also gives us fewer opportunities to make mistakes).

The WEB, like the ASV of 1901, breaks the KJV tradition by printing God's proper Name in the Old Testament with a spelling closest to what we think it was pronounced like, instead of rendering that Name as "LORD" or "GOD" (with all caps or small caps). The current scholarly consensus has shifted from spelling this Name as "Jehovah" to spelling it as "Yahweh." There are a couple of other English translations that use "Yahweh," so this is not new, per se, but it does set it off a little from other translations.

Because World English Bible (WEB) uses the Majority Text as the basis for the New Testament, you may notice the following differences in comparing the WEB to other translations:

  • The order of Matthew 23:13 and 14 is reversed in some translations.
  • Luke 17:36 and Acts 15:34, which are not found in the majority of the Greek Manuscripts (and are relegated to footnotes in the WEB) may be included in some other translations. Romans 14:24-26 in the WEB may appear as Romans 16:25-27 in other translations.
  • 1 John 5:7-8 may read differently in some translations.

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What about the King James Only movement?

May God open their eyes and give them a sound understanding.

If you prefer the King James Version of the Holy Bible, then, by all means, read it and do what it teaches. I think that the KJV was a wonderful Contemporary English translation of the Holy Bible when it came out. It has been mightily used by God and has had (and continues to have) a profoundly good impact. Unfortunately, the evolution of the English language continually erodes its value as time goes on. It is now outsold by the excellent New International Version, for many good reasons.

I guess that there are a few people that seem to believe that the KJV is more accurate than the original Hebrew and Greek of the Holy Bible, and that all the other versions are tainted with heresy and conspiracy. I've read some of their literature. I found it to be some of the most non-Christian and illogical literature that I have endured, thus further proving the claim that the KJV is the only valid Bible to be wrong, at least in my mind. I guess I've now put myself on record as being a heretic in their eyes, but I must follow God, rather than men.

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What makes you think that you can compete with multi-million dollar publishers?

Indeed, throwing another Modern English translation into the "market" to "compete" with solid translations like the NIV and publishing giants like Zondervan sounds as silly. It sounds like that, perhaps, until you consider that the primary target for the WEB is royalty-free distribution of the Holy Bible in unlimited copies made by many people using many computers, tape recorders, photocopiers, and presses all over the world. This is a "market" that the "giants" have excluded themselves from. Indeed, if they change that policy (don't hold your breath waiting for them to), we win, anyway. If we win this area, that is enough to justify this effort. If we do an excellent job, the WEB might possibly start competing in more conventional areas (like printed Bibles in bookstores), but not because of any significant effort or marketing on our part. After all, the bookstores have lots of Bibles in Modern English, already.

Once you look at the whole picture of what is going on, the multi-million dollar publishers and Bible translators really don't have much of an effect on us, nor do we have much of an effect on them. The result of the combined efforts of both is simply more complete availability of the Holy Bible in Modern English.

Of course, it does take considerable effort to pull off a decent Bible translation -- even a language update like the WEB. Fortunately, there are lots of people willing to volunteer some time to help with this cause, and the Internet helps bring those people together.

The real bottom line, though, is that this is God's project, and He is fully capable of providing everything that we need to accomplish His goals.

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What kind of editing help do you want?

Specifically, we need people who will read drafts of WEB chapters carefully, checking the following things, and email suggestions for improvements in the following areas:

  • Typos & spelling errors.
  • Punctuation errors.
  • Grammar & usage errors.
  • Unclear wording or wording that may be misunderstood.
  • Wording that varies in meaning from other good Bible translations (realizing that some will vary due to "textual variants" in the underlying original languages).
  • Wording that may inadvertently be "too close" to any copyrighted Modern English translation for too many verses in a row (thus risking charges of copyright infringement).
  • Questions that come up with respect to specific portions of the translation.
  • Inconsistencies in style, usage, or translation.

Note that all suggestions made in line with the above mentioned translation philosophy will be seriously considered. There is no guarantee, of course, that any suggestion will result in a change, especially in those areas that involve judgment calls, because we are likely to get conflicting suggestions for the same passage. If in doubt, suggest or ask, anyway. We want to eradicate as many of the above distractions as possible, so that the meaning and message of the Holy Bible come through clearly.

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How do you publish draft portions of the WEB?

Draft portions of the WEB are published in the WEB mailing list and at http://ebible.org/bible/web, and in the unmoderated Usenet news groups alt.bible and alt.christnet.bible. Once the WEB translation is done, we plan to continue it as a daily Bible reading list.

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How do I join the WEB mailing list?

There are actually three mailing lists that can properly be called the WEB mailing list:

bible Daily World English Bible readings and some announcements
hnv Daily HNV readings and some announcements
webnews News about status of World English Bible translation and publication.

The easy way (if you have access to the World Wide Web) is to visit http://ebible.org/subscribe.htm and follow the instructions there.

If you can't do the above, send mail to majordomo@ebible.org with the single line in the body of the message (not the subject) with "subscribe" followed by the list name, like:

subscribe bible

Expect somewhere around 4 chapters of the Holy Bible per day, along with related material (like this FAQ, the glossary, and announcements).

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How do I get off of the WEB mailing list?

Visit http://ebible.org/subscribe.htm and follow the instructions there, or send mail to majordomo@ebible.org with the single line in the body of the message (not the subject) saying "unsubscribe" followed by the list name, like:

unsubscribe bible

If you don't have access to the account you are unsubscribing from, then add your old email address to the line, like

unsubscribe bible user@host.domain

but substitute your own email address for user@host.domain. If that doesn't work, email mpj@ebible.org for help from a real person.

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How do I change my address on the WEB mailing list?

Just unsubscribe from the old address and subscribe from the new address, using the instructions, above.

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Is anyone else working on a public domain, Modern English translation?

Yes. Dr. Maurice Robinson is overseeing another project to revise the ASV into what he is calling the Modern American Standard Version (MASV). That project is not on quite as ambitious schedule, but it should be worth looking at when it is done. There are now some other works, too, like the Updated King James Version at http://www.geocities.com/updatedkjv/. People often ask if we are aware of the New English Translation, and we are, but it is not Public Domain. They do allow free downloads for personal use, though, and there is a lot of scholarly work that went into that translation.

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When will the WEB be completed?

The New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs are finished (but we will still consider well-justified edits and typo corrections). We have no estimate of the completion date of the Old Testament, yet.

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Why the name WEB?

World: because God's Word is to the whole world, and this translation is to be read by English-speaking people all over the world.

English: a language spoken by about 10% of the people in the world.

Bible: God's Holy Book.

WEB: This translation of the Holy Bible travels by way of the World-Wide Web, aided by its copyright-free status.

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Will any major publishers be interested in the WEB?

Several publishers that don't already own rights to another modern English translation of the Holy Bible are likely to be interested. Ask them.

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Why do you use "Yahweh" for God's name in the Old Testament?

"Yahweh" is the most probable best transliteration of this most holy proper name from the Hebrew consonants YOD HE WAW HE, or YHWH. This holy name is sometimes rendered "Jehovah" based on the mixture of the vowels for "Adonai" (Lord) with the consonants "YHWH" as it is written in some later Hebrew manuscripts. The original Hebrew manuscripts had no vowels, and we believe that the vowels for "adonai" were added to reflect the tradition of avoiding pronouncing God's name, and saying "Lord" instead, and was not an indication of how the name should be pronounced by those so bold as to actually utter God's name. This is a break from the tradition of the KJV and others that use "LORD" or "GOD" with all caps or small caps to translate "YHWH", and use "Lord" (normal mixed case) to translate "Adonai" and "God" (normal mixed case) to translate "Elohim." That tradition gets really confusing in some places, especially since "Yahweh" is used in conjunction with "Lord" and "God" in many places in the Old Testament. Since God's proper name really is separate from the titles "Lord" and "God" in the original Hebrew, we wanted the English translation to reflect that fact, even when read aloud.

As a concession to strong tradition, the Hebrew Names Version of the World English Bible uses "LORD" or "GOD" (all capital letters) for "Yahweh."

In some places, "Yah," a shortened version of God's Name is used. This is how it is written in the Hebrew manuscripts in those places.

As a concession to strong tradition, the Hebrew Names Version of the World English Bible uses "LORD" or "GOD" (all capital letters) for "Yahweh."

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Why don't you capitalize pronouns referring to God?

In Hebrew, there is no such thing as upper and lower case. The original Greek manuscripts were written in all upper case letters. Therefore, this is mostly a question of English style more than a question of conforming to the original language texts. English style is a moving target, and there is not widespread agreement on capitalization of pronouns referring to God. In the time of the King James Version, it was common practice to capitalize pronouns pertaining to any king or other national leader. Since God is the King of Kings, it only made sense to capitalize pronouns referring to God. In modern English, we don't do that, even when writing very respectfully. In modern English, it is considered correct to either capitalize or not capitalize pronouns referring to God, but the practice should be consistent within a book. Other contemporary translations of the Holy Bible into English are pretty much evenly split between capitalizing and not capitalizing these pronouns.

There are three other translational issues involved. One is that it seems rather awkward to translate quotations of people who were deriding Jesus Christ, and who at that point didn't believe that He was the spotless Son of God, capitalizing the pronouns they used to refer to Him. The New American Standard Bible handles this by putting in a footnote to explain that they capitalized the pronouns because of who Jesus Christ is, not who the speaker thought He was.

Another issue is that in some of the coronation psalms, it was clear that the psalm was originally written for the coronation of an earthly king (i. e. King Solomon), but the psalm applies and is used more often to sing praises to the King of Kings. In that case, it is difficult to choose which case to use for the pronouns. By not capitalizing pronouns pertaining to God, we as translators preserve the ambiguity of the original Scriptures and leave the application to the Holy Spirit and the reader.

The third translational issue is a more practical one. Because the World English Bible is an update of the American Standard Version of 1901, which does not capitalize pronouns referring to God, it would have required reviewing all pronouns in the Bible for capitalization, determining from the context which referred to God and which did not. Even when done carefully, there is a risk of making errors in the process, and in some cases (such as those mentioned above), footnotes would be in order to explain the ambiguities that would be totally unnecessary without the capitalization.

Therefore, we have decided to retain the ASV's capitalization rules in the Bible text.

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Why do you use contractions?

Because the Greek New Testament was written not in the formal written register of the language, but in the informal register of the language used by common people, we have decided to use the less formal spoken register of the English language. This sounds much more natural when read aloud. The primary difference noticeable between spoken or informal written English and formal written English is the greater use of contractions.

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Where can I get the WEB?

At http://ebible.org/bible/web or http://worldenglishbible.org/.

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How can I help support the WEB work?

1. You can pray for everyone who works on it, that they would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and correctly handle God's Holy Word, and that God would abundantly provide everything needed for this work.

2. You can partner with us, helping us to make the World English Bible freely available by sending tax-deductible donations to:

Rainbow Missions
PO BOX 1151
LONGMONT CO 80502-1151
USA

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Who Maintains this FAQ?

This FAQ is maintained by Michael Paul Johnson. Please mail comments or suggestions to mpj@ebible.org. This page is kept at http://ebible.org/bible/web/webfaq.htm.

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Old Testament

Genesis

Chapter 1

1In the beginning God11After “God,” the Hebrew has the two letters “Aleph Tav” (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet) as a grammatical marker. created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. There was evening and there was morning, one day.

6God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse, and it was so. 8God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

9God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear,” and it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas. God saw that it was good. 11God said, “Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth,” and it was so. 12The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13There was evening and there was morning, a third day.

14God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years; 15and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth,” and it was so. 16God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. 19There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

20God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky.” 21God created the large sea creatures, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

24God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind,” and it was so. 25God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.

26God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. 30To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food.” And it was so.

31God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Chapter 2

1The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their vast array. 2On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made.

4This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens. 5No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground, 6but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was parted, and became four heads. 11The name of the first is Pishon: this is the one which flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12and the gold of that land is good. There is aromatic resin and the onyx stone. 13The name of the second river is Gihon: the same river that flows through the whole land of Cush. 14The name of the third river is Hiddekel: this is the one which flows in front of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. 15Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.”

18Yahweh God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” 19Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper suitable for him. 21Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22He made the rib, which Yahweh God had taken from the man, into a woman, and brought her to the man. 23The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. 25They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Chapter 3

1Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”

2The woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, 3but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

4The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t surely die, 5for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. 7The eyes of both them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.

9Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

10The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

11God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

13Yahweh God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”

16To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

17To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. 19By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

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

22Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...” 23Therefore Yahweh God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Chapter 4

1The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.” 2Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground. 4Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat of it. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering, 5but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell. 6Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? 7If you do well, will it not 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.” 8Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

9Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”

He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. 11Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”

13Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.”

15Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him.

16Cain went out from Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe. 22Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah. 23Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice,

You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech,

For I have slain a man for wounding me,

A young man for bruising me.

24If Cain will be avenged seven times,

Truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”

25Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, “for God has appointed me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on Yahweh’s name.

Chapter 5

1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness. 2He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam,22“Adam” and “Man” are spelled with the exact same consonants in Hebrew, so this can be correctly translated either way. in the day when they were created. 3Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 5All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.

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

9Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. 10Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 11All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.

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

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

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

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

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

28Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son, 29and he named him Noah, saying, “This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed.” 30Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters. 31All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.

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

Chapter 6

1It happened, when men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2that God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took for themselves wives of all that they chose. 3Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; yet will his days be one hundred twenty years.” 4The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters. They bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

5Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart. 7Yahweh said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground; man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in Yahweh’s eyes.

9This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God. 10Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

13God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14Make an ark of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ark, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch. 15This is how you shall make it. The length of the ark will be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16You shall make a roof in the ark, and to a cubit shall you finish it upward. You shall set the door of the ark in the side of it. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels. 17I, even I, do bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die. 18But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive. 21Take with you of all food that is eaten, and gather it to you; and it will be for food for you, and for them.” 22Thus Noah did. According to all that God commanded him, so he did.

Chapter 7

1Yahweh said to Noah, “Come with all of your household into the ark, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation. 2You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female. 3Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth. 4In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. Every living thing that I have made, I will destroy from the surface of the ground.”

5Noah did everything that Yahweh commanded him.

6Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. 7Noah went into the ark with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, because of the waters of the flood. 8Clean animals, animals that are not clean, birds, and everything that creeps on the ground 9went by pairs to Noah into the ark, male and female, as God commanded Noah. 10It happened after the seven days, that the waters of the flood came on the earth. 11In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep were burst open, and the sky’s windows were opened. 12The rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.

13In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ark; 14they, and every animal after its kind, all the livestock after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15They went to Noah into the ark, by pairs of all flesh with the breath of life in them. 16Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; and Yahweh shut him in. 17The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. 18The waters prevailed, and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the surface of the waters. 19The waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth. All the high mountains that were under the whole sky were covered. 20The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21All flesh died that moved on the earth, including birds, livestock, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, of all that was on the dry land, died. 23Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24The waters prevailed on the earth one hundred fifty days.

Chapter 8

1God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided. 2The deep’s fountains and the sky’s windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained. 3The waters receded from the earth continually. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters decreased. 4The ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains. 5The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

6It happened at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made, 7and he sent forth a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8He sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from the surface of the ground, 9but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him into the ark; for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ark. 10He stayed yet another seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11The dove came back to him at evening, and, behold, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth. 12He stayed yet another seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she didn’t return to him any more.

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

15God spoke to Noah, saying, 16“Go forth from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.”

18Noah went forth, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him. 19Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the earth, after their families, went forth out of the ark.

20Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21Yahweh smelled the sweet savor. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake, because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again strike everything living, as I have done. 22While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Chapter 9

1God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that the ground teems with, and all the fish of the sea are delivered into your hand. 3Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As the green herb, I have given everything to you. 4But flesh with the life of it, the blood of it, you shall not eat. 5I will surely require your blood of your lives. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man. 6Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image. 7Be fruitful and multiply. Bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.”

8God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9“As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you, 10and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, even every animal of the earth. 11I will establish my covenant with you: all flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood, neither will there ever again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. 14It will happen, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, 15and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17God said to Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

18The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan. 19These three were the sons of Noah, and from these, the whole earth was populated.

20Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard. 21He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent. 22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn’t see their father’s nakedness. 24Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25He said,

“Canaan is cursed.

He will be servant of servants to his brothers.”

26He said,

“Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem;

Let Canaan be his servant.

27God enlarge Japheth,

Let him dwell in the tents of Shem;

Let Canaan be his servant.”

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

Chapter 10

1Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.

2The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in their nations.

6The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 7The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 8Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh.” 10The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11Out of that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city). 13Mizraim became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14Pathrusim, Casluhim (which the Philistines descended from), and Caphtorim.

15Canaan became the father of Sidon (his firstborn), Heth, 16the Jebusite, the Amorite, the Girgashite, 17the Hivite, the Arkite, the Sinite, 18the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad. 19The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, to Lasha. 20These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, in their nations.

21To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born. 22The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24Arpachshad became the father of Shelah. Shelah became the father of Eber. 25To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother’s name was Joktan. 26Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30Their dwelling was from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, after their nations.

32These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations. Of these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

Chapter 11

1The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. 2It happened, as they traveled east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. 3They said one to another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”

5Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. 6Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. 7Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. 9Therefore the name of it was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.

10This is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of sons and daughters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran who was also the father of Iscah. 30Sarai was barren. She had no child. 31Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there. 32The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.

Chapter 12

1Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. 2I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. In you will all of the families of the earth be blessed.”

4So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls whom they had gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. Into the land of Canaan they came. 6Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanite was then in the land.

7Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your seed33or, offspring.”

He built an altar there to Yahweh, who appeared to him. 8He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on the name of Yahweh. 9Abram traveled, going on still toward the South.

10There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11It happened, when he had come near to enter Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at. 12It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive. 13Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”

14It happened that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. 17Yahweh plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”

20Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him, and they brought him on the way with his wife and all that he had.

Chapter 13

1Abram went up out of Egypt: he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South. 2Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the name of Yahweh. 5Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together: for their substance was great, so that they could not live together. 7There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived in the land at that time. 8Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives. 9Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

10Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar. 11So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.

14Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever. 16I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered. 17Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you.”

18Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahweh.

Chapter 14

1It happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim, 2that they made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar). 3All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (the same is the Salt Sea). 4Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year, they rebelled. 5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to Elparan, which is by the wilderness. 7They returned, and came to En Mishpat (the same is Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar. 8The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim; 9against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five. 10Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those who remained fled to the hills. 11They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went their way. 12They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were allies of Abram. 14When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. 15He 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. 16He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17The king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. 19He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: 20and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Abram gave him a tenth of all.

21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods to yourself.”

22Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”

Chapter 15

1After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

2Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3Abram said, “Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”

4Behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir.” 5Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So shall your seed be.” 6He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness. 7He said to him, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”

8He said, “Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

9He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide the birds. 11The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him. 13He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years. 14I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth, 15but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried in a good old age. 16In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.” 17It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: 19the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Chapter 16

1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. 4He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you.”

6But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

7The angel of Yahweh found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s handmaid, where did you come from? Where are you going?”

She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

9The angel of Yahweh said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.” 10The angel of Yahweh said to her, “I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude.” 11The angel of Yahweh said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction. 12He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers.”

13She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?” 14Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi.44Beer Lahai Roi means “well of the one who lives and sees me.” Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Chapter 17

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

3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 4“As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 7I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. 8I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”

9God said to Abraham, “As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you. 12He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed. 13He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

15God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. 16I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.”

17Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?” 18Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”

19God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac.55Isaac means “he laughs.” I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. 20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”

22When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him. 24Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised. 27All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Chapter 18

1Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, 3and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant. 4Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.”

They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly make ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” 7Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. 8He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

9They said to him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?

He said, “See, in the tent.”

10He said, “I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

13Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.”

15Then Sarah denied, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid.

He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

16The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do, 18seeing that Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.” 20Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”

22The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh. 23Abraham drew near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? 24What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

26Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.” 27Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes. 28What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?”

He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.”

29He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?”

He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”

30He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?”

He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”

31He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?”

He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

32He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?”

He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”

33Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Chapter 19

1The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth, 2and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you will rise up early, and go on your way.”

They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”

3He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter. 5They called to Lot, and said to him, “Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them.”

6Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him. 7He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly. 8See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.”

9They said, “Stand back!” They said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near to break the door. 10But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door. 11They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

12The men said to Lot, “Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place: 13for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.”

14Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.”

But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking. 15When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” 16But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city. 17It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!”

18Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord. 19See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die. 20See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.”

21He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.66Zoar means “little.”

23The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky. 25He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground. 26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

27Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Yahweh. 28He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.

29It happened, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.

30Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.” 33They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.” 35They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger went and lay with him. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she got up. 36Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father. 37The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.

Chapter 20

1Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar. 2Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man’s wife.”

4Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this.”

6God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.”

8Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?”

11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

14Abimelech took sheep and oxen, male servants and womale servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him. 15Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.”

17Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children. 18For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Chapter 21

1Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken. 2Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.77Isaac means “He laughs.” 4Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him. 6Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” 7She said, “Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”

8The child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 10Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”

11The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son. 12God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed be called. 13I will also make a nation of the son of the handmaid, because he is your seed.” 14Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15The water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Don’t let me see the death of the child.” She sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. 17God heard the voice of the boy.

The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him in your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”

19God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the bottle with water, and gave the boy drink. 20God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer. 21He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

22It happened at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”

24Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away. 26Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. Neither did you tell me, neither did I hear of it, until today.”

27Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant. 28Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves mean?”

30He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.” 31Therefore he called that place Beersheba,88Beersheba can mean “well of the oath” or “well of seven.” because they both swore there. 32So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. 33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God. 34Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.

Chapter 22

1It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”

He said, “Here I am.”

2He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”

3Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. 4On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. 5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you. 6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. 7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?”

He said, “Here I am, my son.”

He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

8Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together. 9They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. 10Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.

11The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He said, “Here I am.”

12He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

13Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide99or, Yahweh-Jireh, or, Yahweh-Seeing. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.

15The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, 16and said, “I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. 18In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Chapter 23

1Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life. 2Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 3Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying, 4“I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

5The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6“Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”

7Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. 8He talked with them, saying, “If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 9that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession of a burying-place.”

10Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”

12Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. 13He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”

14Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15“My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”

16Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.

17So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded 18to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 20The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.

Chapter 24

1Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things. 2Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh. 3I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 4But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

5The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?”

6Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again. 7Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your seed1010or, offspring.’ He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again.”

9The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 10The servant took ten camels, of his master’s camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water. 12He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ and she will say, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’„let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

15It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up. 17The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”

18She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink. 19When she had done giving him drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking.” 20She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

21The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not. 22It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 23and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in?”

24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.”

26The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh. 27He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me in the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”

28The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words. 29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. 30It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31He said, “Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”

32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.”

He said, “Speak on.”

34He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him. 37My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’ 40He said to me, ‘Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father’s house. 41Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don’t give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’ 42I came this day to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go„ 43behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, “Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink,” 44and she will tell me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”„let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.’ 45Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she made the camels drink also. 47I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. 48I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son. 49Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can’t speak to you bad or good. 51Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Yahweh has spoken.”

52It happened that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh. 53The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother. 54They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”

55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”

56He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, seeing Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”

57They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.” 58They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?”

She said, “I will go.”

59They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men. 60They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them.”

61Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South. 63Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming. 64Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel. 65She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?”

The servant said, “It is my master.”

She took her veil, and covered herself. 66The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Chapter 25

1Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. 2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, 6but to the sons of Abraham’s concubines, Abraham gave gifts. He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country. 7These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years. 8Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre, 10the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife. 11It happened after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.

12Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations. 17These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people. 18They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.

19This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife. 21Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22The children struggled together within her. She said, “If it be so, why do I live?” She went to inquire of Yahweh. 23Yahweh said to her,

Two nations are in your womb,

Two peoples will be separated from your body.

The one people will be stronger than the other people.

The elder will serve the younger.

24When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. 26After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob. 29Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

31Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”

32Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”

33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”

He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

Chapter 26

1There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar. 2Yahweh appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about. 3Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and will give to your seed all these lands. In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, 5because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

6Isaac lived in Gerar. 7The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife,” lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.” 8It happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife. 9Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister?’”

Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”

10Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”

11Abimelech charged all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”

12Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him. 13The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great. 14He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him. 15Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth. 16Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

17Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

18Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them. 19Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. 20The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. He called the name of it Sitnah. 22He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23He went up from there to Beersheba. 24Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.”

25He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.

26Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army. 27Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?”

28They said, “We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you, 29that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.’ You are now the blessed of Yahweh.”

30He made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. 32It happened the same day, that Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” 33He called it Shibah.1111Shibah means “oath” or “seven.” Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba1212Beersheba means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven” to this day.

34When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits.

Chapter 27

1It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?”

He said to him, “Here I am.”

2He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death. 3Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me venison. 4Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”

5Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7‘Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Yahweh before my death.’ 8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. 9Go now to the flock, and get me from there two good kids of the goats. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.”

11Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.”

13His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.”

14He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son. 16She put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck. 17She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18He came to his father, and said, “My father?”

He said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

19Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.”

20Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?”

He said, “Because Yahweh your God gave me success.”

21Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

22Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23He didn’t recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24He said, “Are you really my son Esau?”

He said, “I am.”

25He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless you.”

He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank. 26His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.” 27He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said,

“Behold, the smell of my son

Is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed.

28God give you of the dew of the sky,

of the fatness of the earth,

and plenty of grain and new wine.

29Let peoples serve you,

And nations bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers;

Let your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be everyone who curses you;

Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”

30It happened, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that your soul may bless me.”

32Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?”

He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

33Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed.”

34When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, my father.”

35He said, “Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.”

36He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”

37Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers have I given to him for servants. With grain and new wine have I sustained him. What then will I do for you, my son?”

38Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39Isaac his father answered him,

“Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling,

and of the dew of the sky from above.

40By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother.

It will happen, when you will break loose,

That you shall shake his yoke from off your neck.”

41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away; 45until your brother’s anger turn away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”

46Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”

Chapter 28

1Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, 4and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your seed with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham.”

5Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, Rebekah’s brother, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

6Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,” 7and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram. 8Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father. 9Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

10Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12He dreamed. Behold, a stairway set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed. 14Your seed will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed. 15Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.”

16Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” 17He was afraid, and said, “How dreadful is this place! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.”

18Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. 19He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, 21so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God, 22then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God’s house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you.”

Chapter 29

1Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. 2He looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large. 3There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well’s mouth in its place. 4Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?”

They said, “We are from Haran.”

5He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?”

They said, “We know him.”

6He said to them, “Is it well with him?”

They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”

7He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

8They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we water the sheep.”

9While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. 10It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

13It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things. 14Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. He lived with him for a month. 15Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”

16Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive. 18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”

20Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

21Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

22Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. He went in to her. 24Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid. 25It happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

26Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years.”

28Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife. 29Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid. 30He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction. For now my husband will love me.” 33She conceived again, and bare a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon. 34She conceived again, and bare a son. Said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore was his name called Levi. 35She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time will I praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

Chapter 30

1When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.”

2Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

3She said, “Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.” 4She gave him Bilhah her handmaid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. 6Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son.” Therefore called she his name Dan. 7Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son. 8Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.” She named him Naphtali.

9When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, bore Jacob a son. 11Leah said, “How fortunate!” She named him Gad. 12Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, bore Jacob a second son. 13Leah said, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy.” She named him Asher.

14Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15She said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes, also?”

Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

16Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”

He lay with her that night. 17God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18Leah said, “God has given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.” She named him Issachar. 19Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.” She named him Zebulun. 21Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.

22God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. 23She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24She named him Joseph,1313Joseph means “may he add.” saying, “May Yahweh add another son to me.”

25It happened, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country. 26Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you.”

27Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake.” 28He said, “Appoint me your wages, and I will give it.”

29He said to him, “You know how I have served you, and how your livestock have fared with me. 30For it was little which you had before I came, and it has increased to a multitude. Yahweh has blessed you wherever I turned. Now when will I provide for my own house also?”

31He said, “What shall I give you?”

Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it. 32I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. This will be my hire. 33So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and black among the sheep, that might be with me, will be counted stolen.”

34Laban said, “Behold, I desire it to be according to your word.”

35That day, he removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36He set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37Jacob took to himself rods of fresh poplar, almond, plane tree, peeled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 38He set the rods which he had peeled opposite the flocks in the gutters in the watering-troughs where the flocks came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink. 39The flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the black in the flock of Laban: and he put his own droves apart, and didn’t put them into Laban’s flock. 41It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods; 42but when the flock were feeble, he didn’t put them in. So the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Chapter 31

1He heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. From that which was our father’s, has he gotten all this wealth.” 2Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, 5and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. 7Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me. 8If he said this, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said this, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then all the flock bore streaked. 9Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me. 10It happened during mating season that I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled. 11The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 12He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you. 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.”

14Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15Aren’t we accounted by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also quite devoured our money. 16For all the riches which God has taken away from our father, that is ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

17Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels, 18and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan. 19Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim1414teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property. that were her father’s.

20Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away. 21So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.

22Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. 23He took his relatives with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead. 24God came to Laban, the Syrian, in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Take heed to yourself that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead. 26Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; 28and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly. 29It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take heed to yourself that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”

31Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’ 32Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.

33Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt about all the tent, but didn’t find them. 35She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for the manner of women is on me.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.

36Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued after me? 37Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two. 38These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks. 39That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore the loss of it. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

43Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? 44Now come, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be for a witness between me and you.”

45Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. 47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha,1515“Jegar Sahadutha” means “Witness Heap” in Aramaic. but Jacob called it Galeed.1616“Galeed” means “Witness Heap” in Hebrew. 48Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed 49and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. 50If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.” 51Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you. 52May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. 53The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. 54Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain. 55Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

Chapter 32

1Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3Jacob sent messengers in front of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom. 4He commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall tell my lord, Esau: ‘This is what your servant, Jacob, says. I have lived as a foreigner with Laban, and stayed until now. 5I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.’” 6The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau. Not only that, but he comes to meet you, and four hundred men with him.” 7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two companies; 8and he said, “If Esau comes to the one company, and strikes it, then the company which is left will escape.” 9Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, ‘Return to your country, and to your relatives, and I will do you good,’ 10I am not worthy of the least of all the loving kindnesses, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant; for with just my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. 11Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and strike me, and the mothers with the children. 12You said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which can’t be numbered because there are so many.’”

13He lodged there that night, and took from that which he had with him, a present for Esau, his brother: 14two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. 16He delivered them into the hands of his servants, every herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put a space between herd and herd.” 17He commanded the foremost, saying, “When Esau, my brother, meets you, and asks you, saying, ‘Whose are you? Where are you going? Whose are these before you?’ 18Then you shall say, ‘They are your servant, Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord, Esau. Behold, he also is behind us.’” 19He commanded also the second, and the third, and all that followed the herds, saying, “This is how you shall speak to Esau, when you find him. 20You shall say, ‘Not only that, but behold, your servant, Jacob, is behind us.’” For, he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”

21So the present passed over before him, and he himself lodged that night in the camp.

22He rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he had. 24Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. 25When he saw that he didn’t prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained, as he wrestled. 26The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.”

Jacob said, “I won’t let you go, unless you bless me.”

27He said to him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Jacob.” 28He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

29Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”

He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” He blessed him there.

30Jacob called the name of the place Peniel1717Peniel means “face of God.”: for, he said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 31The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh. 32Therefore the children of Israel don’t eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.

Chapter 33

1Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids. 2He put the handmaids and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. 5He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?”

He said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the handmaids came near with their children, and they bowed themselves. 7Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?”

Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

9Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

10Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.

12Esau said, “Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before you.”

13Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. 14Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.”

15Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the folk who are with me.”

He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.1818succoth means shelters or booths.

18Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city. 19He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.1919El Elohe Israel means “God, the God of Israel” or “The God of Israel is mighty.”

Chapter 34

1Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. He took her, lay with her, and humbled her. 3His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady. 4Shechem spoke to his father, Hamor, saying, “Get me this young lady as a wife.”

5Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah, his daughter; and his sons were with his livestock in the field. Jacob held his peace until they came. 6Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to talk with him. 7The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. The men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he had done folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; a which thing ought not to be done. 8Hamor talked with them, saying, “The soul of my son, Shechem, longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10You shall dwell with us, and the land will be before you. Live and trade in it, and get possessions in it.”

11Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you will tell me I will give. 12Ask me a great amount for a dowry, and I will give whatever you ask of me, but give me the young lady as a wife.”

13The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with deceit, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister, 14and said to them, “We can’t do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised; for that is a reproach to us. 15Only on this condition will we consent to you. If you will be as we are, that every male of you be circumcised; 16then will we give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised, then we will take our sister,2020Hebrew has, literally, “daughter” and we will be gone.”

18Their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19The young man didn’t wait to do this thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was honored above all the house of his father. 20Hamor and Shechem, his son, came to the gate of their city, and talked with the men of their city, saying, 21“These men are peaceful with us. Therefore let them live in the land and trade in it. For behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people, if every male among us is circumcised, as they are circumcised. 23Won’t their livestock and their possessions and all their animals be ours? Only let us give our consent to them, and they will dwell with us.”

24All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor, and to Shechem his son; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. 25It happened on the third day, when they were sore, that two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword, came upon the unsuspecting city, and killed all the males. 26They killed Hamor and Shechem, his son, with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away. 27Jacob’s sons came on the dead, and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, that which was in the city, that which was in the field, 29and all their wealth. They took captive all their little ones and their wives, and took as plunder everything that was in the house. 30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. They will gather themselves together against me and strike me, and I will be destroyed, I and my house.”

31They said, “Should he deal with our sister as with a prostitute?”

Chapter 35

1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

2Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments. 3Let us arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.”

4They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob. 6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; and the name of it was called Allon Bacuth.

9God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. 10God said to him, “Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be Jacob any more, but your name will be Israel.” He named him Israel. 11God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body. 12The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your seed after you will I give the land.”

13God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him. 14Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it. 15Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel.”

16They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor. 17When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”

18It happened, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Benoni,2121“Benoni” means “son of my trouble.” but his father named him Benjamin.2222“Benjamin” means “son of my right hand.” 19Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath (the same is Bethlehem). 20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22It happened, while Israel lived in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s handmaid): Dan and Naphtali. 26The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s handmaid): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram. 27Jacob came to Isaac his father, to Mamre, to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac lived as foreigners.

28The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. 29Isaac gave up the spirit, and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

Chapter 36

1Now this is the history of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). 2Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon, the Hittite; and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, the Hivite; 3and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth. 4Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz. Basemath bore Reuel. 5Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his livestock, all his animals, and all his possessions, which he had gathered in the land of Canaan, and went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7For their substance was too great for them to dwell together, and the land of their travels couldn’t bear them because of their livestock. 8Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.

9This is the history of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir: 10these are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; and Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. 11The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 12Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau’s son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14These were the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

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

20These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs who came of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22The children of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23These are the children of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24These are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he fed the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26These are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27These are the children of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29These are the chiefs who came of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 30chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan: these are the chiefs who came of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir.

31These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the children of Israel. 32Bela, the son of Beor, reigned in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah. 33Bela died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his place. 34Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35Husham died, and Hadad, the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his city was Avith. 36Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the river, reigned in his place. 38Shaul died, and Baal Hanan, the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40These are the names of the chiefs who came from Esau, according to their families, after their places, and by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 41chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites.

Chapter 37

1Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan. 2This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a coat of many colors. 4His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.

5Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. 6He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. 9He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.” 10He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to you to the earth?” 11His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.

12His brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”

14He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”

17The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’”

Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan. 18They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19They said one to another, “Behold, this dreamer comes. 20Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”

21Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.” 22Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”„that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. 23It happened, when Joseph came to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him; 24and they took him, and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.

25They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27Come, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened to him. 28Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.

29Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?” 31They took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood. 32They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son’s coat or not.”

33He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.” 34Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol2323Sheol is the place of the dead. to my son mourning.” His father wept for him. 36The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.

Chapter 38

1It happened at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her, and went in to her. 3She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er. 4She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan. 5She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him. 6Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him. 8Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up seed to your brother.” 9Onan knew that the seed wouldn’t be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. 10The thing which he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he killed him also. 11Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

12After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite. 13It was told Tamar, saying, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14She took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife. 15When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16He turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he didn’t know that she was his daughter-in-law.

She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

17He said, “I will send you a kid of the goats from the flock.”

She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”

18He said, “What pledge will I give you?”

She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.”

He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. 19She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he didn’t find her. 21Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?”

They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”

22He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’” 23Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this kid, and you haven’t found her.”

24It happened about three months later, that it was told Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute; and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.”

Judah said, “Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.” 25When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man, whose these are, I am with child.” She also said, “Please discern whose are these„the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”

26Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.”

He knew her again no more. 27It happened in the time of her travail, that behold, twins were in her womb. 28When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.” 29It happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.2424Perez means “breaking out.” 30Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.2525Zerah means “scarlet” or “brightness.”

Chapter 39

1Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there. 2Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made all that he did prosper in his hand. 4Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him, and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5It happened from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of Yahweh was on all that he had, in the house and in the field. 6He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate.

Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7It happened after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”

8But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand. 9He isn’t greater in this house than I, neither has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

10As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside. 12She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!”

He left his garment in her hand, and ran outside. 13When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had run outside, 14she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, “Behold, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice. 15It happened, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and ran outside.” 16She laid up his garment by her, until his master came home. 17She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me, 18and it happened, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment by me, and ran outside.”

19It happened, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” that his wrath was kindled. 20Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound, and he was there in custody. 21But Yahweh was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there, he was responsible for it. 23The keeper of the prison didn’t look after anything that was under his hand, because Yahweh was with him; and that which he did, Yahweh made it prosper.

Chapter 40

1It happened after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days. 5They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. 6Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad. 7He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”

8They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.”

Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.”

9The chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, 10and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters of it brought forth ripe grapes. 11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.”

12Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: the three branches are three days. 13Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cupbearer. 14But remember me when it will be well with you, and show kindness, please, to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 15For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17In the uppermost basket there was all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

18Joseph answered, “This is the interpretation of it. The three baskets are three days. 19Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.” 20It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 22but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23Yet the chief cupbearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Chapter 41

1It happened at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and behold, he stood by the river. 2Behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, sleek and fat, and they fed in the marsh grass. 3Behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ugly and thin, and stood by the other cattle on the brink of the river. 4The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke. 5He slept and dreamed a second time: and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good. 6Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 7The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8It happened in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today. 10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker. 11We dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. To each man according to his dream he interpreted. 13It happened, as he interpreted to us, so it was: he restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”

14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothing, and came in to Pharaoh. 15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

16Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It isn’t in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

17Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river: 18and behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, fat and sleek. They fed in the marsh grass, 19and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. 20The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle, 21and when they had eaten them up, it couldn’t be known that they had eaten them, but they were still ugly, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good: 23and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 24The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh. 26The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one. 27The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine. 28That is the thing which I spoke to Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has shown to Pharaoh. 29Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 30There will arise after them seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous. 32The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

33Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt’s produce in the seven plenteous years. 35Let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36The food will be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; that the land not perish through the famine.”

37The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is none so discreet and wise as you. 40You shall be over my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled. Only in the throne I will be greater than you.” 41Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, 43and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had. They cried before him, “Bow the knee!” He set him over all the land of Egypt. 44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without you shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47In the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly. 48He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, he laid up in the same. 49Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number. 50To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh,2626“Manasseh” sounds like the Hebrew for “forget.” “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.” 52The name of the second, he called Ephraim2727“Ephraim” sounds like the Hebrew for “twice fruitful.”: “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end. 54The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” 56The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

Chapter 42

1Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.” 3Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.” 5The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth. 7Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?”

They said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

8Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him. 9Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

10They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”

12He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.”

14Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies.’ 15By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go forth from here, unless your youngest brother comes here. 16Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.” 17He put them all together into custody for three days.

18Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God. 19If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses. 20Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.”

They did so. 21They said one to another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.” 22Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.” 23They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them. 24He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes. 25Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them.

26They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there. 27As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. 28He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?” 29They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. 31We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies. 32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way. 34Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”

35It happened as they emptied their sacks, that behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”

37Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.”

38He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Chapter 43

1The famine was severe in the land. 2It happened, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”

3Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ 4If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food, 5but if you’ll not send him, we’ll not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”

6Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”

7They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down?’”

8Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones. 9I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever, 10for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”

11Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; 12and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man. 14May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

15The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and make ready; for the men will dine with me at noon.”

17The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and sieze us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” 19They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house, 20and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food. 21When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand. 22We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

23He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them. 24The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder. 25They made ready the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him to the earth. 27He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”

28They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed the head, and did homage. 29He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there. 31He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”

32They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another. 34He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.

Chapter 44

1He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. 2Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good? 5Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’” 6He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

7They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! 8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house? 9With whoever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondservants.”

10He said, “Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my bondservant; and you will be blameless.”

11Then they hurried, and every man took his sack down to the ground, and every man opened his sack. 12He searched, beginning with the eldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

14Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him. 15Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed divine?”

16Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? Or how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s bondservants, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”

17He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my bondservant; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

18Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh. 19My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ 20We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.’ 21You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’ 24It happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25Our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food.’ 26We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons: 28and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since. 29If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ 30Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the boy’s life; 31it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol. 32For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’ 33Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, a bondservant to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?„lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”

Chapter 45

1Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he cried, “Cause every man to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?”

His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were terrified at his presence. 4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.”

They came near. “He said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. 8So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait. 10You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11There I will nourish you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’ 12Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here.” 14He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.

16The report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this. Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan. 18Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19Now you are commanded: do this. Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20Also, don’t concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all of the land of Egypt is yours.”

21The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23To his father, he sent after this manner: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way. 24So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”

25They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father. 26They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them. 27They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived. 28Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Chapter 46

1Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. 2God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”

He said, “Here I am.”

3He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. 4I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph will close your eyes.”

5Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt„Jacob, and all his seed with him, 7his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his seed with him into Egypt.

8These are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. 9The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three. 16The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls. 19The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 21The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. 23The son of Dan: Hushim. 24The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were seven. 26All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct descendants, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six. 27The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy.

28He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen. 29Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”

31Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33It will happen, when Pharaoh summons you, and will say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Chapter 47

1Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” 2From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh. 3Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” 4They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

5Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”

7Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?”

9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 10Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.

11Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12Joseph nourished his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.

13There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 14Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.”

16Joseph said, “Give me your livestock; and I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.”

17They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year. 18When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord how our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands. 19Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won’t be desolate.”

20So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s. 21As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it. 22Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn’t sell their land. 23Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.”

25They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

26Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s.

27Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. 28Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years. 29The time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don’t bury me in Egypt, 30but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place.”

He said, “I will do as you have said.”

31He said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head.

Chapter 48

1It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed. 3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.’ 5Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine. 6Your issue, who you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same is Bethlehem).”

8Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

9Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.”

He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” 10Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 11Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed also.” 12Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near to him. 14Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a multitude of nations.” 20He blessed them that day, saying, “In you will Israel bless, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”

Chapter 49

1Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.

2Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob;

Listen to Israel, your father.

3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength;

Excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.

4Boiling over as water, you shall not excell;

Because you went up to your father’s bed;

Then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

5“Simeon and Levi are brothers;

Weapons of violence are their swords.

6My soul, don’t come into their council;

My glory, don’t be united to their assembly;

For in their anger they killed men,

In their self-will they hamstrung oxen.

7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;

And their wrath, for it was cruel.

I will divide them in Jacob,

Scatter them in Israel.

8“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.

9Judah 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?

10The scepter will not depart from Judah,

Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

Until he comes to whom it belongs.

To him will the obedience of the peoples be.

11Binding his foal to the vine,

His donkey’s colt to the choice vine;

He has washed his garments in wine,

His robes in the blood of grapes:

12His eyes will be red with wine,

His teeth white with milk.

13“Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea.

He will be for a haven of ships.

His border will be on Sidon.

14“Issachar is a strong donkey,

Lying down between the saddlebags.

15He saw a resting place, that it was good,

The land, that it was pleasant;

He bows his shoulder to the burden,

And becomes a servant doing forced labor.

16“Dan will judge his people,

As one of the tribes of Israel.

17Dan will be a serpent in the way,

An adder in the path,

That bites the horse’s heels,

So that his rider falls backward.

18I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.

19“Gad, a troop will press on him;

But he will press on their heel.

20Out of Asher his bread will be fat,

He will yield royal dainties.

21“Naphtali is a doe set free,

Who bears beautiful fawns.

22“Joseph is a fruitful vine,

A fruitful vine by a spring;

His branches run over the wall.

23The archers have sorely grieved him,

Shot at him, and persecute him:

24But his bow abode in strength,

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),

25Even by the God of your father, who will help you,

By the Almighty, who will bless you,

With blessings of heaven above,

Blessings of the deep that lies below,

Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26The blessings of your father

Have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors,

Above the boundaries of the ancient hills.

They will be on the head of Joseph,

On the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.

27“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf.

In the morning he will devour the prey.

At evening he will divide the spoil.”

28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing. 29He charged them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. 31There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah: 32the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.” 33When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.

Chapter 50

1Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept on him, and kissed him. 2Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3Forty days were fulfilled for him, for that is how many the days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for him for seventy days.

4When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’”

6Pharaoh said, “Go up, and bury your father, just like he made you swear.”

7Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9There went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days. 11When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore, the name of it was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12His sons did to him just as he commanded them, 13for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field, for a possession of a burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. 14Joseph returned into Egypt„he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all of the evil which we did to him. 16They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17“So you shall tell Joseph, ‘Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will nourish you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.

22Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father’s house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. 24Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Exodus

Chapter 1

1Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob): 2Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. 7The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.

8Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. 9He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. 10Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. 12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve, 14and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.

15The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah, 16and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool; if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17But the midwives feared God, and didn’t do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive. 18The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and have saved the boys alive?”

19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous, and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”

20God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. 21It happened, because the midwives feared God, that he gave them families. 22Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

Chapter 2

1A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife. 2The woman conceived, and bore a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. 3When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4His sister stood far off, to see what would be done to him. 5Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe at the river. Her maidens walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds, and sent her handmaid to get it. 6She opened it, and saw the child, and behold, the baby cried. She had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”

8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.”

The maiden went and called the child’s mother. 9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.”

The woman took the child, and nursed it. 10The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses,2828“Moses” sounds like the Hebrew for “draw out”. and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

11It happened in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brothers, and looked at their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. 12He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

13He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?”

14He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?”

Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.” 15Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and lived in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well.

16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18When they came to Reuel, their father, he said, “How is it that you have returned so early today?”

19They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.”

20He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”

21Moses was content to dwell with the man. He gave Moses Zipporah, his daughter. 22She bore a son, and he named him Gershom,2929“Gershom” sounds like the Hebrew for “an alien there.” for he said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.”

23It happened in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25God saw the children of Israel, and God was concerned about them.

Chapter 3

1Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb. 2The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3Moses said, “I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.”

4When Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!”

He said, “Here I am.”

5He said, “Don’t come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 6Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God.

7Yahweh said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

11Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

12He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

13Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you;’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?”

14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: “I AM has sent me to you.” 15God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations. 16Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt; 17and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18They will listen to your voice, and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.’ 19I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20I will put forth my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst of it, and after that he will let you go. 21I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. 22But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall despoil the Egyptians.

Chapter 4

1Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘Yahweh has not appeared to you.’”

2Yahweh said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

He said, “A rod.”

3He said, “Throw it on the ground.”

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

4Yahweh said to Moses, “Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail.”

He put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.

5“That they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6Yahweh 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.

7He 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.

8“It will happen, if they will neither believe you nor listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.”

10Moses said to Yahweh, “Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

11Yahweh said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, Yahweh? 12Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”

13He said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.”

14The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he comes forth to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16He will be your spokesman to the people; and it will happen, that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God. 17You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

18Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.”

Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

19Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

20Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God’s rod in his hand. 21Yahweh 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. 22You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘Thus says Yahweh, Israel is my son, my firstborn, 23and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me;” and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.’”

24It happened on the way at a lodging place, that Yahweh met him and wanted to kill him. 25Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”

26So he let him alone. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

27Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.”

He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him. 28Moses told Aaron all the words of Yahweh with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had charged him. 29Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30Aaron spoke all the words which Yahweh had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31The people believed, and when they heard that Yahweh had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Chapter 5

1Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”

2Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”

3They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”

4The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!” 5Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.” 6The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”

10The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, This is what Pharaoh says: “I will not give you straw. 11Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.” 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!” 14The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”

15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”

17But he said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 18Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet shall you deliver the same number of bricks!”

19The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”

20They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21and they said to them, “May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

22Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? 23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you delivered your people at all.”

Chapter 6

1Yahweh 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.”

2God spoke to Moses, and said to him, “I am Yahweh; 3and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them. 4I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their travels, in which they lived as aliens. 5Moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant. 6Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am Yahweh, 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 judgments: 7and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am Yahweh.’”

9Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

10Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 11“Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.”

12Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, who am of uncircumcised lips?” 13Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

14These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. 15The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. 16These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years. 17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years. 19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty-seven years. 21The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24The sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25Eleazar Aaron’s son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families. 26These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom Yahweh said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.” 27These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.

28It happened on the day when Yahweh spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29that Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “I am Yahweh. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.”

30Moses said before Yahweh, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?”

Chapter 7

1Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 3I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch forth my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”

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

8Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 9“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.’”

10Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as Yahweh had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments. 12For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

14Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. 15Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. 16You shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness:” and behold, until now you haven’t listened. 17Thus says Yahweh, “In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.”’” 19Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

20Moses and Aaron did so, as Yahweh commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21The fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt. 22The magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken. 23Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he lay even this to heart. 24All the Egyptians dug round about the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink of the water of the river. 25Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river.

Chapter 8

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, “This is what Yahweh says, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs: 3and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedchamber, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs: 4and the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.’” 5Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7The magicians did in like manner with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

8Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.”

9Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”

10He said, “Tomorrow.”

He said, “Be it according to your word, that you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God. 11The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”

12Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. 13Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 14They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

16Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 17They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18The magicians tried with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal. 19Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God:” and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

20Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes forth to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. 22I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth. 23I will put a division between my people and your people: by tomorrow shall this sign be.”’” 24Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses: and in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.

25Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”

26Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won’t they stone us? 27We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us.”

28Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”

29Moses said, “Behold, I go out from you, and I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.” 30Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 31Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one. 32Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.

Chapter 9

1Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still, 3behold, the hand of Yahweh is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence. 4Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.”’” 5Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow Yahweh shall do this thing in the land.” 6Yahweh did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died. 7Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.

8Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, “Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. 9It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt.”

10They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal. 11The magicians couldn’t stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians. 12Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.

13Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. 15For now I would have put forth my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth; 16but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth; 17as you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go. 18Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. 19Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn’t brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die.”’”

20Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses. 21Whoever didn’t regard the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field.

22Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.”

23Moses stretched forth his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. 26Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

27Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

29Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh’s. 30But as for you and your servants, I know that you don’t yet fear Yahweh God.”

31The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom. 32But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up. 33Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. 34When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.

Chapter 10

1Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them, 2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh.”

3Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field. 6Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

7Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don’t you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”

8Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?”

9Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.”

10He said to them, “Yahweh be with you if I will let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces. 11Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” They were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 15For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, “I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you. 17Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death.”

18He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 19Yahweh turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt. 20But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go.

21Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.” 22Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23They didn’t see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

24Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you.”

25Moses said, “You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God. 26Our livestock also shall go with us. There shall not a hoof be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don’t know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there.”

27But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let them go. 28Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!”

29Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more.”

Chapter 11

1Yahweh said to Moses, “Yet one plague more will I bring on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether. 2Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.” 3Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.

4Moses said, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt, 5and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of livestock. 6There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor shall be any more. 7But against any of the children of Israel a dog won’t even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal; that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. 8All these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you; and after that I will go out.’” He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

9Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh won’t listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Chapter 12

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2“This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you. 3Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; 4and if the household be too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats: 6and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening. 7They shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it. 8They shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire, and unleavened bread. They shall eat it with bitter herbs. 9Don’t eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire; with its head, its legs and its inner parts. 10You shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning you shall burn with fire. 11This is how you shall eat it: with your waist girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh’s Passover. 12For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am Yahweh. 13The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 14This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to Yahweh: throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.

15Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away yeast out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16In the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no manner of work shall be done in them, except that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you. 17You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this same day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall you observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance forever. 18In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty first day of the month at evening. 19Seven days shall there be no yeast found in your houses, for whoever eats that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a foreigner, or one who is born in the land. 20You shall eat nothing leavened. In all your habitations you shall eat unleavened bread.’”

21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Passover. 22You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23For Yahweh will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two doorposts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. 24You shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons forever. 25It shall happen when you have come to the land which Yahweh will give you, according as he has promised, that you shall keep this service. 26It will happen, when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27that you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Yahweh’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses.’”

The people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28The children of Israel went and did so; as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

29It happened at midnight, that Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of livestock. 30Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31He called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, serve Yahweh, as you have said! 32Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also!”

33The Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We are all dead men.” 34The people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35The children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing. 36Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. They despoiled the Egyptians.

37The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, besides children. 38A mixed multitude went up also with them, with flocks, herds, and even very much livestock. 39They baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt; for it wasn’t leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt, and couldn’t wait, neither had they prepared for themselves any food. 40Now the time that the children of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred thirty years. 41It happened at the end of four hundred thirty years, even the same day it happened, that all the armies of Yahweh went out from the land of Egypt. 42It is a night to be much observed to Yahweh for bringing them out from the land of Egypt. This is that night of Yahweh, to be much observed of all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

43Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. There shall no foreigner eat of it, 44but every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat of it. 45A foreigner and a hired servant shall not eat of it. 46In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth anything of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall you break a bone of it. 47All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48When a stranger shall live as a foreigner with you, and will keep the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one who is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. 49One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you.” 50Thus did all the children of Israel. As Yahweh commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 51It happened the same day, that Yahweh brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Chapter 13

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.”

3Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4This day you go forth in the month Abib. 5It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh. 7Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you, neither shall there be yeast seen with you, in all your borders. 8You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.’ 9It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt. 10You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

11“It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you, 12that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be Yahweh’s. 13Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. 14It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15and it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes: for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us forth out of Egypt.”

17It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt;” 18but 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. 19Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.” 20They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: 22the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.

Chapter 14

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea. 3Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’ 4I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh.” They did so.

5It was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6He made ready his chariot, and took his army with him; 7and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them. 8Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand. 9The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

10When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 11They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us forth out of Egypt? 12Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.”

13Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again. 14Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”

15Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. 16Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. 17I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. 18The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.” 19The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. 20It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one didn’t come near the other all the night.

21Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left. 23The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24It happened in the morning watch, that Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army. 25He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”

26Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28The 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. 29But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left. 30Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh, and in his servant Moses.

Chapter 15

1Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said,

“I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously:

The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

2Yah 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.

3Yahweh is a man of war.

Yahweh is his name.

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

His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.

5The deeps cover them.

They went down into the depths like a stone.

6Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power,

Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.

7In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you:

You send forth your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.

8With 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.

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

My desire shall be satisfied on them.

I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’

10You blew with your wind.

The sea covered them.

They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods?

Who is like you, glorious in holiness,

Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12You stretched out your right hand.

The earth swallowed them.

13“You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed.

You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.

14The peoples have heard.

They tremble.

Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.

15Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed.

Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab.

All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.

16Terror and dread falls on them.

By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone;

Until your people pass over, Yahweh,

Until the people pass over who you have purchased.

17You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance,

The place, Yahweh, which you have made for yourself to dwell in;

The sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.

18Yahweh shall reign forever and ever.”

19For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea. 20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. 21Miriam answered them,

“Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously:

The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

22Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.3030Marah means bitter. 24The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them; 26and he said, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

27They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Chapter 16

1They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. 2The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; 3and the children of Israel said to them, “We wish that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

4Then said Yahweh to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not. 5It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”

6Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening, then you shall know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt; 7and in the morning, then you shall see the glory of Yahweh; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?” 8Moses said, “Now Yahweh shall give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you; because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh.” 9Moses said to Aaron, “Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before Yahweh, for he has heard your murmurings.’” 10It happened, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud. 11Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12“I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God.’”

13It happened at evening that quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp. 14When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground. 15When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat.” 16This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: “Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, shall you take it, every man for those who are in his tent.” 17The children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less. 18When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating. 19Moses said to them, “Let no one leave of it until the morning.” 20Notwithstanding they didn’t listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them. 21They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted. 22It happened that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23He said to them, “This is that which Yahweh has spoken, ‘Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.” 24They laid it up until the morning, as Moses asked, and it didn’t become foul, neither was there any worm in it. 25Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to Yahweh. Today you shall not find it in the field. 26Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath. In it there shall be none.” 27It happened on the seventh day, that some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28Yahweh said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29Behold, because Yahweh has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.

31The house of Israel called the name of it Manna,3131“Manna” means “What is it?” and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey. 32Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, ‘Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.” 33Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations.” 34As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35The children of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan. 36Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

Chapter 17

1All the congregation of the children of Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to Yahweh’s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?”

3The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”

4Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

5Yahweh said to Moses, “Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7He called the name of the place Massah,3232Massah means testing. and Meribah,3333Meribah means quarreling. because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested Yahweh, saying, “Is Yahweh among us, or not?”

8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.” 10So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11It happened, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But Moses’ hands were heavy; and 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. 13Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14Yahweh said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.” 15Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Yahweh our Banner.3434Hebrew, Yahweh Nissi 16He said, “Yah has sworn: ‘Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’”

Chapter 18

1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, 3and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom,3535“Gershom” sounds like the Hebrew for “an alien there.” for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”. 4The name of the other was Eliezer,3636Eliezer means “God is my helper.” for he said, “My father’s God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God. 6He said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her. 7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent. 8Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them. 9Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them.” 12Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

13It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening. 14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, “What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?”

15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.” 17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 18You 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. 19Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. 20You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 22Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you. 23If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace.”

24So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.

Chapter 19

1In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. 3Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; 6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

7Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him. 8All the people answered together, and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.”

Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh. 9Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh. 10Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, 11and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. 12You shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death. 13No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”

14Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. 15He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”

16It happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. 20Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

21Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish. 22Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break forth on them.”

23Moses said to Yahweh, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, for you charged us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”

24Yahweh said to him, “Go down and you shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break forth on them.”

25So Moses went down to the people, and told them.

Chapter 20

1God3737After “God,” the Hebrew has the two letters “Aleph Tav” (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet), not as a word, but as a grammatical marker. spoke all these words, saying, 2“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3You shall have no other gods before me.

4“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9You shall labor six days, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; 11for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.

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

13“You shall not murder.

14“You shall not commit adultery.

15“You shall not steal.

16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance. 19They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”

20Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.” 21The people stayed at a distance, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

22Yahweh said to Moses, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23You shall most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves. 24You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. 25If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. 26Neither shall you go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it.’

Chapter 21

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

2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything. 3If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5But if the servant shall plainly say, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;’ 6then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

7“If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do. 8If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, seeing he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9If he marries her to his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 10If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights. 11If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.

12“One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death, 13but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. 14If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbor to kill him, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

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

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

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

18“If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to bed; 19if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.

20“If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. 21Notwithstanding, if he gets up after a day or two, he shall not be punished, for he is his property.

22“If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman’s husband demands and the judges allow. 23But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.

26“If a man strikes his servant’s eye, or his maid’s eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. 27If he strikes out his male servant’s tooth, or his female servant’s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.

28“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible. 29But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and it has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death. 30If a ransom is laid on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid on him. 31Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. 32If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.

33“If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn’t cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it, 34the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.

35“If one man’s bull injures another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal. 36Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.

Chapter 22

1“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him. 3If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt of bloodshed for him; he shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

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

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

7“If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8If the thief isn’t found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out if he hasn’t put his hand to his neighbor’s goods. 9For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, ‘This is mine,’ the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

10“If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it; 11the oath of Yahweh shall be between them both, whether he hasn’t put his hand to his neighbor’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution. 12But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it. 13If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.

14“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor’s, and it is injured, or dies, the owner of it not being with it, he shall surely make restitution. 15If the owner of it is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

16“If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. 17If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

18“You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

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

20“He who sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, shall be utterly destroyed.

21“You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

22“You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. 23If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; 24and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

25“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest. 26If you take your neighbor’s garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down, 27for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.

28“You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

29“You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

“You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me. 30You shall do likewise with your oxen and with your sheep. Seven days it shall be with its mother, then on the eighth day you shall give it me.

31“You shall be holy men to me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.

Chapter 23

1“You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness. 2You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice; 3neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.

4“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. 5If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don’t leave him, you shall surely help him with it.

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

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

8You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

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

10“For six years you shall sow your land, and shall gather in its increase, 11but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animal of the field shall eat. In like manner you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.

12“Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the alien may be refreshed.

13“Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and don’t invoke the name of other gods, neither let them be heard out of your mouth.

14“You shall observe a feast to me three times a year. 15You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it you came out from Egypt), and no one shall appear before me empty. 16And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field: and the feast of harvest, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field. 17Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh.

18“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, neither shall the fat of my feast remain all night until the morning. 19The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of Yahweh your God.

“You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

20“Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don’t provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him. 22But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries. 23For my angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off. 24You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor follow their practices, but you shall utterly overthrow them and demolish their pillars. 25You shall serve Yahweh your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from your midst. 26No one will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days. 27I will send my terror before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28I will send the hornet before you, which will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you. 29I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the animals of the field multiply against you. 30Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and inherit the land. 31I will set your border from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Chapter 24

1He said to Moses, “Come up to Yahweh, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship from a distance. 2Moses alone shall come near to Yahweh, but they shall not come near, neither shall the people go up with him.”

3Moses came and told the people all the words of Yahweh, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which Yahweh has spoken will we do.”

4Moses wrote all the words of Yahweh, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to Yahweh. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, “All that Yahweh has spoken will we do, and be obedient.”

8Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.”

9Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. 10They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire3838or, lapis lazuli stone, like the skies for clearness. 11He didn’t lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank.

12Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the tables of stone with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them.”

13Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God’s Mountain. 14He said to the elders, “Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them.”

15Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of Yahweh settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17The appearance of the glory of Yahweh was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Chapter 25

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, that they take an offering for me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take my offering. 3This is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, brass, 4blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, 5rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, 6oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, 7onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate. 8Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tent, and the pattern of all of its furniture, even so you shall make it.

10“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, its breadth a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height. 11You shall overlay it with pure gold. Inside and outside shall you overlay it, and shall make a gold molding around it. 12You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 13You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 14You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. 15The poles shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it. 16You shall put the testimony which I shall give you into the ark. 17You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two and a half cubits shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18You shall make two cherubim of hammered gold. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. 20The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat. 21You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you. 22There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the testimony, all that I command you for the children of Israel.

23“You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth, and one and a half cubits its height. 24You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. 25You shall make a rim of a handbreadth around it. You shall make a golden molding on its rim around it. 26You shall make four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four feet. 27the rings shall be close to the rim, for places for the poles to carry the table. 28You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them. 29You shall make its dishes, its spoons, its ladles, and its bowls to pour out offerings with. Of pure gold shall you make them. 30You shall set bread of the presence on the table before me always.

31“You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. Of hammered work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it. 32There shall be six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of its one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side; 33three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so for the six branches going out of the lampstand; 34and in the lampstand four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers; 35and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 36Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one beaten work of pure gold. 37You shall make its lamps seven, and they shall light its lamps to give light to the space in front of it. 38Its snuffers and its snuff dishes shall be of pure gold. 39It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all these accessories. 40See that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown to you on the mountain.

Chapter 26

1“Moreover you shall make the tent with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman you shall make them. 2The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure. 3Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling; and likewise shall you make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling. 5You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one to another. 6You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tent shall be a unit.

7“You shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tent: eleven curtains shall you make them. 8The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure. 9You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shall double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent. 10You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling. 11You shall make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 12The overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tent. 13The cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tent on this side and on that side, to cover it. 14You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

15“You shall make the boards for the tent of acacia wood, standing up. 16Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and one and a half cubits the breadth of each board. 17There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus shall you make for all the boards of the tent. 18You shall make the boards for the tent, twenty boards for the south side southward. 19You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons. 20For the second side of the tent, on the north side, twenty boards, 21and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22For the far part of the tent westward you shall make six boards. 23Two boards shall you make for the corners of the tent in the far part. 24They shall be double beneath, and in like manner they shall be entire to the top of it to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

26“You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tent, 27and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tent, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tent, for the far part westward. 28The middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30You shall set up the tent according to the way that it was shown to you on the mountain.

31“You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman shall it be made. 32You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil: and the veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you. 34You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 35You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tent toward the south: and you shall put the table on the north side.

36“You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer. 37You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold: their hooks shall be of gold: and you shall cast five sockets of brass for them.

Chapter 27

1“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and its height shall be three cubits. 2You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it; and you shall overlay it with brass. 3You shall make its pots to take away its ashes, its shovels, its basins, its flesh hooks, and its fire pans: all its vessels you shall make of brass. 4You shall make a grating for it of network of brass: and on the net you shall make four brazen rings in its four corners. 5You shall put it under the ledge around the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar. 6You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with brass. 7Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar, when carrying it. 8Hollow with planks shall you make it: as it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.

9“You shall make the court of the tent: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long for one side: 10and the pillars of it shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 11Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and the pillars of it twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 12For the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. 13The breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. 14The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 15For the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16For the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four. 17All the pillars of the court round about shall be filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass. 18The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass. 19All the instruments of the tent in all its service, and all the pins of it, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

20“You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually. 21In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh: it shall be a statute forever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Chapter 28

1“Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 2You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3You shall speak to all who are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. 4These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. 5They shall take the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.

6“They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skillful workman. 7It shall have two shoulder straps joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together. 8The skillfully woven band, which is on it, that is on him, shall be like its work and of the same piece; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel: 10six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shall you engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel: you shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold. 12You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial. 13You shall make settings of gold, 14and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them like cords of braided work: and you shall put the braided chains on the settings.

15“You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, shall you make it. 16It shall be square and folded double; a span3939A span is the length from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when the hand is stretched out (about 9 inches or 22.8 cm.) shall be its length of it, and a span its breadth. 17You shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of ruby, topaz, and beryl shall be the first row; 18and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire4040or, lapis lazuli, and an emerald; 19and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20and the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be enclosed in gold in their settings. 21The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. 22You shall make on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 23You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24You shall put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 25The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in the forepart of it. 26You shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward. 27You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in the forepart of it, close by the coupling of it, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28They shall bind the breastplate by the rings of it to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod. 29Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before Yahweh continually. 30You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before Yahweh: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before Yahweh continually.

31“You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32It shall have a hole for the head in the midst of it: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it not be torn. 33On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, around its hem; and bells of gold between them round about: 34a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe round about. 35It shall be on Aaron to minister: and the sound of it shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before Yahweh, and when he comes out, that he not die.

36“You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, ‘HOLY TO YAHWEH.’ 37You shall put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be on the sash; on the front of the sash it shall be. 38It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh. 39You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of the embroiderer.

40“You shall make coats for Aaron’s sons, and you shall make sashes for them and headbands shall you make for them, for glory and for beauty. 41You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. 42You shall make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness; from the waist even to the thighs they shall reach: 43They shall be on Aaron, and on his sons, when they go in to the tent of meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place; that they don’t bear iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him.

Chapter 29

1“This is the thing that you shall do to them to make them holy, to minister to me in the priest’s office: take one young bull and two rams without blemish, 2unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil: you shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3You shall put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams. 4You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water. 5You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and dress him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod; 6and you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown on the turban. 7Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8You shall bring his sons, and put coats on them. 9You shall dress them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them: and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute: and you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.

10“You shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting: and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11You shall kill the bull before Yahweh, at the door of the tent of meeting. 12You shall take of the blood of the bull, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. 13You shall take all the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside of the camp: it is a sin offering.

15“You shall also take the one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 16You shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar. 17You shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its innards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head. 18You shall burn the whole ram on the altar: it is a burnt offering to Yahweh; it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

19“You shall take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. 20Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood on the altar round about. 21You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him. 22Also you shall take some of the ram’s fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of consecration), 23and one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before Yahweh. 24You shall put all of this in Aaron’s hands, and in his sons’ hands, and shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. 25You shall take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on the burnt offering, for a sweet savor before Yahweh: it is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

26“You shall take the breast of Aaron’s ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh: and it shall be your portion. 27You shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh of the wave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 28and it shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel; for it is a wave offering: and it shall be a wave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their wave offering to Yahweh.

29“The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them. 30Seven days shall the son who is priest in his place put them on, when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place.

31“You shall take the ram of consecration, and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the tent of meeting. 33They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat of it, because they are holy. 34If anything of the flesh of the consecration, or of the bread, remains to the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35“Thus shall you do to Aaron, and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Seven days shall you consecrate them. 36Every day shall you offer the bull of sin offering for atonement: and you shall cleanse the altar, when you make atonement for it; and you shall anoint it, to sanctify it. 37Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it: and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall be holy.

38“Now this is that which you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. 39The one lamb you shall offer in the morning; and the other lamb you shall offer at evening: 40and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41The other lamb you shall offer at evening, and shall do to it according to the meal offering of the morning, and according to its drink offering, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 42It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you. 43There I will meet with the children of Israel; and the place shall be sanctified by my glory. 44I will sanctify the tent of meeting and the altar: Aaron also and his sons I will sanctify, to minister to me in the priest’s office. 45I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46They shall know that I am Yahweh their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them: I am Yahweh their God.

Chapter 30

1“You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood. 2Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3You shall overlay it with pure gold, the top of it, the sides of it around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it. 4You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it. 5You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 6You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it. 8When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations. 9You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it. 10Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”

11Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12“When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh. 14Everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to Yahweh. 15The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls. 16You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.”

17Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18“You shall also make a basin of brass, and the base of it of brass, in which to wash. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 19Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in it. 20When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die: and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations.”

22Moreover Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 23“Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty; 24and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary; and a hin of olive oil. 25You shall make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26You shall use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 27the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base. 29You shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy. 30You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. 31You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations. 32It shall not be poured on man’s flesh, neither shall you make any like it, according to its composition: it is holy. It shall be holy to you. 33Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.’”

34Yahweh said to Moses, “Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be an equal weight; 35and you shall make incense of it, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy: 36and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy. 37The incense which you shall make, according to its composition you shall not make for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for Yahweh. 38Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

Chapter 31

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent, 8the table and its vessels, the pure lampstand with all its vessels, the altar of incense, 9the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base, 10the finely worked garments„the holy garments for Aaron the priest„the garments of his sons to minister in the priest’s office, 11the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

12Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 13“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most assuredly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you. 14You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death. 16Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’”

18He gave to Moses, when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with God’s finger.

Chapter 32

1When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.”

2Aaron said to them, “Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.”

3All the people took off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4He received what they handed him, and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said, “These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh.”

6They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

7Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go, get down; for your people, who you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves! 8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”

9Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people. 10Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

11Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘He brought them forth for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?’ Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

14Yahweh repented of the evil which he said he would do to his people.

15Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tables.

17When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”

18He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory, neither is it the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.” 19It happened, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain. 20He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?”

22Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23For they said to me, ‘Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’ 24I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off:’ so they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

25When Moses saw that the people had broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies), 26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!”

All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 27He said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.” 28The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 29Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, yes, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow on you a blessing this day.”

30It happened on the next day, that Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”

31Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold. 32Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin„and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”

33Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. 34Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35Yahweh struck the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Chapter 33

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your seed.’ 2I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 3to a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way.”

4When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry.

5Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you.”

6The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

7Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The tent of meeting.” It happened that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent. 9It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses. 10All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door. 11Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart out of the Tent.

12Moses said to Yahweh, “Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people:’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people.”

14He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15He said to him, “If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here. 16For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”

17Yahweh said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

18He said, “Please show me your glory.”

19He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” 20He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.” 21Yahweh also said, “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

Chapter 34

1Yahweh said to Moses, “Chisel two stone tablets like the first: and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3No one shall come up with you; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mountain.”

4He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets. 5Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Yahweh. 6Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, 7keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

8Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

10He said, “Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you. 11Observe that which I command you this day. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you: 13but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherim; 14for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 15Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice; 16and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods. 17You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.

18“You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt. 19All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 20The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb: and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty.

21Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end. 23Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel. 24For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh, your God, three times in the year.

25“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left to the morning. 26You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27Yahweh said to Moses, “Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”

28He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

29It happened, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, that Moses didn’t know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him. 30When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him. 31Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. 32Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all of the commandments that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded. 35The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Chapter 35

1Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, “These are the words which Yahweh has commanded, that you should do them. 2‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to Yahweh: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death. 3You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.’”

4Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which Yahweh commanded, saying, 5‘Take from among you an offering to Yahweh. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Yahweh’s offering: gold, silver, brass, 6blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, 7rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, 8oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, 9onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.

10“Let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that Yahweh has commanded: 11the tent, its outer covering, its roof, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 12the ark, and its poles, the mercy seat, the veil of the screen; 13the table with its poles and all its vessels, and the show bread; 14the lampstand also for the light, with its vessels, its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door, at the door of the tent; 16the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of brass, it poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its base; 17the hangings of the court, its pillars, their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18the pins of the tent, the pins of the court, and their cords; 19the finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.’”

20All the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21They came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and brought Yahweh’s offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all of its service, and for the holy garments. 22They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man who offered an offering of gold to Yahweh. 23Everyone, with whom was found blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, and sea cow hides, brought them. 24Everyone who did offer an offering of silver and brass brought Yahweh’s offering; and everyone, with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. 25All the women who were wise-hearted spun with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen. 26All the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair. 27The rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastplate; 28and the spice, and the oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to Yahweh; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which Yahweh had commanded to be made by Moses.

30Moses said to the children of Israel, “Behold, Yahweh has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 32and to make skillful works, to work in gold, in silver, in brass, 33in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of skillful workmanship. 34He has put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35He has filled them with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do any workmanship, and of those who make skillful works.

Chapter 36

1“Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom Yahweh has put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Yahweh has commanded.”

2Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Yahweh had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it: 3and they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They brought yet to him freewill offerings every morning. 4All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which they did. 5They spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which Yahweh commanded to make.”

6Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing. 7For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

8All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tent with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skillful workman, they made them. 9The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains had one measure. 10He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled one to another. 11He made loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling. Likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling. 12He made fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling. The loops were opposite one to another. 13He made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tent was a unit.

14He made curtains of goats’ hair for a covering over the tent. He made them eleven curtains. 15The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each curtain. The eleven curtains had one measure. 16He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 17He made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling. 18He made fifty clasps of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be a unit. 19He made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above.

20He made the boards for the tent of acacia wood, standing up. 21Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board. 22Each board had two tenons, joined one to another. He made all the boards of the tent this way. 23He made the boards for the tent: twenty boards for the south side southward. 24He made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons. 25For the second side of the tent, on the north side, he made twenty boards, 26and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 27For the far part of the tent westward he made six boards. 28He made two boards for the corners of the tent in the far part. 29They were double beneath, and in like manner they were all the way to the top of it to one ring. He did thus to both of them in the two corners. 30There were eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two sockets.

31He made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tent, 32and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tent, and five bars for the boards of the tent for the hinder part westward. 33He made the middle bar to pass through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other. 34He overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35He made the veil of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim. He made it the work of a skillful workman. 36He made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold. Their hooks were of gold. He cast four sockets of silver for them. 37He made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer; 38and the five pillars of it with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals and their fillets with gold, and their five sockets were of brass.

Chapter 37

1Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its breadth a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height. 2He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold for it round about. 3He cast four rings of gold for it, in its four feet; even two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side. 4He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 5He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 6He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 7He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of beaten work, at the two ends of the mercy seat; 8one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 9The cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

10He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, and its breadth was a cubit, and its height was a cubit and a half. 11He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 12He made a border of a handbreadth around it, and made a golden molding on its border around it. 13He cast four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet. 14The rings were close by the border, the places for the poles to carry the table. 15He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. 16He made the vessels which were on the table, its dishes, its spoons, its bowls, and its pitchers with which to pour out, of pure gold.

17He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of its one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side: 19three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20In the lampstand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers; 21and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it. 22Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold. 23He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold. 24He made it of a talent of pure gold, with all its vessels.

25He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. Its height was two cubits. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it. 27He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it. 28He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 29He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.

Chapter 38

1He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its breadth was five cubits, and its height was three cubits. 2He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with brass. 3He made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of brass. 4He made for the altar a grating of a network of brass, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up. 5He cast four rings for the four ends of brass grating, to be places for the poles. 6He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass. 7He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.

8He made the basin of brass, and its base of brass, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.

9He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits; 10their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 11For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 12For the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 13For the east side eastward fifty cubits. 14The hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three; 15and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. 17The sockets for the pillars were of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. 18The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, like to the hangings of the court. 19Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver. 20All the pins of the tent, and around the court, were of brass.

21This is the amount of material used for the tent, even the Tent of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. 22Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh commanded Moses. 23With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen.

24All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents, and seven hundred thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 25The silver of those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents, and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 26a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for everyone who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty men. 27The one hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; one hundred sockets for the one hundred talents, a talent for a socket. 28Of the one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them. 29The brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand four hundred shekels. 30With this he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, the brazen altar, the brazen grating for it, all the vessels of the altar, 31the sockets around the court, the sockets of the gate of the court, all the pins of the tent, and all the pins around the court.

Chapter 39

1Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

2He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 3They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, in the purple, in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman. 4They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. At the two ends it was joined together. 5The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

6They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel. 7He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

8He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its breadth a span, being double. 10They set in it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz, and beryl was the first row; 11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire4141or, lapis lazuli, and an emerald; 12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold settings. 14The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes. 15They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 16They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 17They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 18The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in the front of it. 19They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it, which was toward the side of the ephod inward. 20They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in the front of it, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 21They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

22He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23The opening of the robe in the midst of it was like the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding around its opening, that it should not be torn. 24They made on the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen. 25They made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates around the skirts of the robe, between the pomegranates; 26a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

27They made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 28and the turban of fine linen, and the linen headbands of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen, 29and the sash of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

30They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: “HOLY TO YAHWEH.” 31They tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

32Thus all the work of the tent of the tent of meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses; so they did. 33They brought the tent to Moses, the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, it bars, its pillars, its sockets, 34the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of sea cow hides, the veil of the screen, 35the ark of the testimony with its poles, the mercy seat, 36the table, all its vessels, the show bread, 37the pure lampstand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light, 38the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door of the Tent, 39the brazen altar, its grating of brass, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base, 40the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, all the instruments of the service of the tent, for the tent of meeting, 41the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. 42According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as Yahweh had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

Chapter 40

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“On the first day of the first month you shall raise up the tent of the Tent of Meeting. 3You shall put the ark of the testimony in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. 4You shall bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it. You shall bring in the lampstand, and light the lamps of it. 5You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tent. 6You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tent of the tent of meeting. 7You shall set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shall put water therein. 8You shall set up the court around it, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court. 9You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tent, and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its furniture: and it will be holy. 10You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and sanctify the altar: and the altar will be most holy. 11You shall anoint the basin and its base, and sanctify it. 12You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water. 13You shall put on Aaron the holy garments; and you shall anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. 14You shall bring his sons, and put coats on them. 15You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 16Thus did Moses: according to all that Yahweh commanded him, so he did.

17It happened in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tent was raised up. 18Moses raised up the tent, and laid its sockets, and set up the boards of it, and put in the bars of it, and raised up its pillars. 19He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tent above on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 20He took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark. 21He brought the ark into the tent, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 22He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the side of the tent northward, outside of the veil. 23He set the bread in order on it before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 24He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the side of the tent southward. 25He lit the lamps before Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 26He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil; 27and he burnt incense of sweet spices on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 28He put up the screen of the door to the tent. 29He set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tent of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 30He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash. 31Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. 32When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 33He raised up the court around the tent and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tent. 35Moses wasn’t able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and Yahweh’s glory filled the tent. 36When the cloud was taken up from over the tent, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys; 37but if the cloud wasn’t taken up, then they didn’t travel until the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of Yahweh was on the tent by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Leviticus

Chapter 1

1Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of you offers an offering to Yahweh, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd and from the flock.

3“‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before Yahweh. 4He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5He shall kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 6He shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into pieces. 7The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire; 8and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar; 9but its innards and its legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall burn the whole on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh.

10“‘If his offering is from the flock, from the sheep, or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without blemish. 11He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 12He shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat. The priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar, 13but the innards and the legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall offer the whole, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh.

14“‘If his offering to Yahweh is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall offer his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. 15The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar; 16and he shall take away its crop with its filth, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes. 17He shall tear it by its wings, but shall not divide it apart. The priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh.

Chapter 2

1“‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. 2He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests; and he shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 3That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy thing of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.

4“‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5If your offering is a meal offering of the baking pan, it shall be of unleavened fine flour, mixed with oil. 6You shall cut it in pieces, and pour oil on it. It is a meal offering. 7If your offering is a meal offering of the frying pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8You shall bring the meal offering that is made of these things to Yahweh: and it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar. 9The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 10That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.

11“‘No meal offering, which you shall offer to Yahweh, shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 12As an offering of firstfruits you shall offer them to Yahweh: but they shall not come up for a sweet savor on the altar. 13Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.

14“‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear. 15You shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it: it is a meal offering. 16The priest shall burn as its memorial, part of its bruised grain, and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense: it is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

Chapter 3

1“‘If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings; if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Yahweh. 2He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood on the altar round about. 3He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to Yahweh; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 4and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. 5Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh.

6“‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh is from the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. 7If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before Yahweh; 8and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the tent of meeting: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood on the altar round about. 9He shall offer from the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to Yahweh; its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, 10and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. 11The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to Yahweh.

12“‘If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before Yahweh: 13and he shall lay his hand on its head, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood on the altar round about. 14He shall offer from it as his offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 15and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. 16The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savor; all the fat is Yahweh’s.

17“‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”

Chapter 4

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them: 3if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to Yahweh for a sin offering. 4He shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before Yahweh. 5The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Tent of Meeting. 6The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Yahweh, before the veil of the sanctuary. 7The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the tent of meeting; and he shall pour out all of rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 8He shall take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering off of it; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 9and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away, 10as it is taken off of the ox of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11The bull’s skin, all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, its innards, and its dung, 12even the whole bull shall he carry forth outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. Where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned.

13“‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and are guilty; 14when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. 15The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh; and the bull shall be killed before Yahweh. 16The anointed priest shall bring of the blood of the bull to the Tent of Meeting: 17and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the veil. 18He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before Yahweh, that is in the Tent of Meeting; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 19All its fat he shall take from it, and burn it on the altar. 20Thus shall he do with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 21He shall carry forth the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.

22“‘When a ruler sins, and unwittingly does any one of all the things which Yahweh his God has commanded not to be done, and is guilty; 23if his sin, in which he has sinned, is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish. 24He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before Yahweh. It is a sin offering. 25The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He shall pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 26All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he will be forgiven.

27“‘If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and is guilty; 28if his sin, which he has sinned, is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. 29He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. 30The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 31All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from off of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet savor to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

32“‘If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish. 33He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 34The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 35All its fat he shall take away, like the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he will be forgiven.

Chapter 5

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

2“‘Or if anyone touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him, and he is unclean, then he shall be guilty.

3“‘Or if he touches the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness is with which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty.

4“‘Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty of one of these. 5It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned: 6and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.

7“‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to Yahweh; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 8He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one which is for the sin offering, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not sever it completely. 9He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. 10He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.

11“‘But if he can’t afford two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his offering for that in which he has sinned, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, neither shall he put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. It is a sin offering. 13The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’”

14Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 15“If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering. 16He shall make restitution for that which he has done wrong in the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he will be forgiven.

17“If anyone sins, and does any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done; though he didn’t know it, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 18He shall bring a ram without blemish from of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he sinned and didn’t know it, and he will be forgiven. 19It is a trespass offering. He is certainly guilty before Yahweh.”

Chapter 6

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor, 3or has found that which was lost, and dealt falsely therein, and swearing to a lie; in any of all these things that a man does, sinning therein; 4then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, 5or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall restore it even in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. To him to whom it belongs he shall give it, in the day of his being found guilty. 6He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest. 7The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”

8Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 9“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. 10The priest shall put on his linen garment, and he shall put on his linen breeches upon his body; and he shall remove the ashes from where the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 11He shall take off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 12The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning: and he shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. 13Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.

14“‘This is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before Yahweh, before the altar. 15He shall take from there his handful of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the meal offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet savor, as its memorial, to Yahweh. 16That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting 17It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as the sin offering, and as the trespass offering. 18Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’”

19Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 20“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening. 21It shall be made with oil in a baking pan. When it is soaked, you shall bring it in. You shall offer the meal offering in baked pieces for a sweet savor to Yahweh. 22The anointed priest that will be in his place from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute forever, it shall be wholly burnt to Yahweh. 23Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”

24Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 25“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before Yahweh. It is most holy. 26The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Tent of Meeting. 27Whatever shall touch its flesh shall be holy. When there is any of its blood sprinkled on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was sprinkled in a holy place. 28But the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken; and if it is boiled in a brazen vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water. 29Every male among the priests shall eat of it: it is most holy. 30No sin offering, of which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be eaten: it shall be burned with fire.

Chapter 7

1“‘This is the law of the trespass offering. It is most holy. 2In the place where they kill the burnt offering, he shall kill the trespass offering; and its blood he shall sprinkle on the altar round about. 3He shall offer all of its fat: the fat tail, and the fat that covers the innards, 4and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away; 5and the priest shall burn them on the altar for an offering made by fire to Yahweh: it is a trespass offering. 6Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy.

7“‘As is the sin offering, so is the trespass offering; there is one law for them. The priest who makes atonement with them shall have it. 8The priest who offers any man’s burnt offering, even the priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered. 9Every meal offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the frying pan, and on the baking pan, shall be the priest’s who offers it. 10Every meal offering, mixed with oil or dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, one as well as another.

11“‘This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which one shall offer to Yahweh. 12If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mixed with oil. 13With cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his offering with the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving. 14Of it he shall offer one out of each offering for a heave offering to Yahweh. It shall be the priest’s who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings. 15The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.

16“‘But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow, or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice; and on the next day what remains of it shall be eaten: 17but what remains of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. 18If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed to him who offers it. It will be an abomination, and the soul who eats any of it will bear his iniquity.

19“‘The flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten. It shall be burned with fire. As for the flesh, everyone who is clean may eat it; 20but the soul who eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that belongs to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21When anyone touches any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man, or an unclean animal, or any unclean abomination, and eats some of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which belong to Yahweh, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’”

22Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 23“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘You shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. 24The fat of that which dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of animals, may be used for any other service, but you shall in no way eat of it. 25For whoever eats the fat of the animal, of which men offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, even the soul who eats it shall be cut off from his people. 26You shall not eat any blood, whether it is of bird or of animal, in any of your dwellings. 27Whoever it is who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’”

28Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 29“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to Yahweh shall bring his offering to Yahweh out of the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30With his own hands he shall bring the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before Yahweh. 31The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. 32The right thigh you shall give to the priest for a heave offering out of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33He among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right thigh for a portion. 34For the waved breast and the heaved thigh I have taken from the children of Israel out of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel.’”

35This is the anointing portion of Aaron, and the anointing portion of his sons, out of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister to Yahweh in the priest’s office; 36which Yahweh commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them. It is their portion forever throughout their generations. 37This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meal offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecration, and of the sacrifice of peace offerings; 38which Yahweh commanded Moses in Mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their offerings to Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai.

Chapter 8

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; 3and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”

4Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 5Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded to be done.” 6Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7He put the coat on him, tied the sash on him, clothed him with the robe, put the ephod on him, and he tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod on him, and fastened it to him with it. 8He placed the breastplate on him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9He set the turban on his head; and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 10Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them. 11He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them. 12He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 13Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with coats, and tied sashes on them, and put headbands on them; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

14He brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it. 16He took all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it on the altar. 17But the bull, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 18He presented the ram of the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19He killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar round about. 20He cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burned the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21He washed the innards and the legs with water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a sweet savor. It was an offering made by fire to Yahweh; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 22He presented the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23He killed it; and Moses took some of its blood, and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. 24He brought Aaron’s sons; and Moses put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot; and Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar round about. 25He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right thigh; 26and out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before Yahweh, he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat, and on the right thigh. 27He put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before Yahweh. 28Moses took them from their hands, and burned them on the altar on the burnt offering. They were a consecration for a sweet savor. It was an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 29Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of consecration, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 30Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.

31Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32What remains of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn with fire. 33You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration are fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days. 34What has been done this day, so Yahweh has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. 35At the door of the Tent of Meeting you shall stay day and night seven days, and keep the charge of Yahweh, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.” 36Aaron and his sons did all the things which Yahweh commanded by Moses.

Chapter 9

1It happened on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 2and he said to Aaron, “Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before Yahweh. 3You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 4and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh; and a meal offering mixed with oil: for today Yahweh appears to you.’”

5They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting: and all the congregation drew near and stood before Yahweh. 6Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do: and the glory of Yahweh shall appear to you.” 7Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as Yahweh commanded.”

8So Aaron drew near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar: 10but the fat, and the kidneys, and the cover from the liver of the sin offering, he burned upon the altar; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 11The flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp. 12He killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons delivered the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar round about. 13They delivered the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head: and he burned them upon the altar. 14He washed the innards and the legs, and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar. 15He presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first. 16He presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance. 17He presented the meal offering, and filled his hand from there, and burned it upon the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning. 18He also killed the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons delivered to him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar round about, 19and the fat of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers the innards, and the kidneys, and the cover of the liver: 20and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar: 21and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved for a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded. 22Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.

23Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people. 24There came forth fire from before Yahweh, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar: and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Chapter 10

1Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. 2And fire came forth from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh.

3Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying,

“‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me,

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

Aaron held his peace. 4Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” 5So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said.

6Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, neither tear your clothes; that you don’t die, and that he not be angry with all the congregation: but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled. 7You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses.

8Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying, 9“Drink no wine nor strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, that you don’t die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations: 10and that you are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; 11and that you are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses.”

12Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; 13and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: for so I am commanded. 14The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15The heaved thigh and the waved breast they shall bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh: and it shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever; as Yahweh has commanded.”

16Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17“Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and he has given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh? 18Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary: you certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”

19Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happend to me: and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in the sight of Yahweh?”

20When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.

Chapter 11

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. 3Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat.

4“‘Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. 5The coney, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. 6The hare, because she chews the cud but doesn’t part the hoof, she is unclean to you. 7The pig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, he is unclean to you. 8Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.

9These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat. 10All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you, 11and you detest them. You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. 12Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination to you.

13“‘These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture, 14and the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15any kind of raven, 16the horned owl, the screech owl, and the gull, any kind of hawk, 17the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.

20“‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. 21Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth. 22Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper. 23But all winged creeping things which have four feet, are an abomination to you.

24“‘By these you will become unclean: whoever touches the carcass of them shall be unclean until the evening. 25Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.

26“‘Every animal which parts the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor chews the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. 27Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 28He who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you.

29“‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard, 30the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. 31These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening. 32On whatever any of them falls when they are dead, it shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it will be clean. 33Every earthen vessel, into which any of them falls, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it. 34All food which may be eaten, that on which water comes, shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. 35Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces: they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. 36Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is a gathered shall be clean: but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean. 37If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean. 38But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.

39“‘If any animal, of which you may eat, dies; he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 40He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.

41“‘Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination. It shall not be eaten. 42Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, even all creeping things that creep on the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination. 43You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby. 44For I am Yahweh your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth. 45For I am Yahweh who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

46“‘This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, 47to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’”

Chapter 12

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean. 3In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification sixty-six days.

6“‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering: 7and he shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood.

“‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female. 8If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’”

Chapter 13

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2“When a man shall have a rising in his body’s skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons the priests: 3and the priest shall examine the plague in the skin of the body: and if the hair in the plague has turned white, and the appearance of the plague is deeper than the body’s skin, it is the plague of leprosy; and the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean. 4If the bright spot is white in the skin of his body, and the appearance of it isn’t deeper than the skin, and the hair of it hasn’t turned white, then the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days. 5The priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and, behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested, and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days. 6The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day; and behold, if the plague has faded, and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. It is a scab. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 7But if the scab spreads on the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself to the priest again. 8The priest shall examine him; and behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.

9“When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought to the priest; 10and the priest shall examine him. Behold, if there is a white rising in the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the rising, 11it is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not isolate him, for he is unclean.

12“If the leprosy breaks out all over the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the infected person from his head even to his feet, as far as it appears to the priest; 13then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean of the plague. It has all turned white: he is clean. 14But whenever raw flesh appears in him, he shall be unclean. 15The priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean: the raw flesh is unclean. It is leprosy. 16Or if the raw flesh turns again, and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest; 17and the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the plague has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him clean of the plague. He is clean.

18“When the body has a boil on its skin, and it has healed, 19and in the place of the boil there is a white rising, or a bright spot, reddish-white, then it shall be shown to the priest; 20and the priest shall examine it; and behold, if the appearance of it is lower than the skin, and the hair of it has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. It has broken out in the boil. 21But if the priest examines it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it, and it isn’t deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall isolate him seven days. 22If it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a plague. 23But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24“Or when the body has a burn from fire on its skin, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white, 25then the priest shall examine it; and behold, if the hair in the bright spot has turned white, and the appearance of it is deeper than the skin; it is leprosy. It has broken out in the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. 26But if the priest examines it, and behold, there is no white hair in the bright spot, and it isn’t lower than the skin, but is faded; then the priest shall isolate him seven days. 27The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. 28If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar from the burn.

29“When a man or woman has a plague on the head or on the beard, 30then the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the appearance of it is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is an itch, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard. 31If the priest examines the plague of itching, and behold, its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall isolate him the person infected with itching seven days. 32On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the appearance of the itch isn’t deeper than the skin, 33then he shall be shaved, but he shall not shave the itch; and the priest shall shut him up who has the itch seven more days. 34On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its appearance isn’t deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 35But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing, 36then the priest shall examine him; and behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the yellow hair; he is unclean. 37But if in his eyes the itch is arrested, and black hair has grown in it; the itch is healed, he is clean. The priest shall pronounce him clean.

38“When a man or a woman has bright spots in the skin of the body, even white bright spots; 39then the priest shall examine them; and behold, if the bright spots on the skin of their body are a dull white, it is a harmless rash, it has broken out in the skin; he is clean.

40“If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean. 41If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald. He is clean. 42But if there is in the bald head, or the bald forehead, a reddish-white plague; it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head, or his bald forehead. 43Then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh, 44he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean. His plague is on his head.

45“The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46All the days in which the plague is in him he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. Outside of the camp shall be his dwelling.

47“The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment; 48whether it is in warp, or woof; of linen, or of wool; whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin; 49if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of skin; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest. 50The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague seven days. 51He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean. 52He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of skin, in which the plague is: for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire.

53“If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; 54then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which the plague is, and he shall isolate it seven more days. 55Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and behold, if the plague hasn’t changed its color, and the plague hasn’t spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire. It is a mildewed spot, whether the bareness is inside or outside. 56If the priest looks, and behold, the plague has faded after it is washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof: 57and if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn with fire that in which the plague is. 58The garment, either the warp, or the woof, or whatever thing of skin it is, which you shall wash, if the plague has departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and it will be clean.”

59This is the law of the plague of mildew in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp, or the woof, or in anything of skin, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

Chapter 14

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, 3and the priest shall go forth out of the camp. The priest shall examine him, and behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper, 4then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. 5The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. 7He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.

8“He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days. 9It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his body in water, then he shall be clean.

10“On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. 11The priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed, and those things, before Yahweh, at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

12“The priest shall take one of the male lambs, and offer him for a trespass offering, with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. 13He shall kill the male lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary; for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy. 14The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 15The priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. 16The priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before Yahweh. 17The priest shall put some of the rest of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering. 18The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, and the priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh.

19“The priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness: and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering; 20and the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meal offering on the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21“If he is poor, and can’t afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil; 22and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

23“On the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, before Yahweh. 24The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. 25He shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering. The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26The priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand; 27and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Yahweh. 28Then the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering. 29The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Yahweh. 30He shall offer one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he is able to afford, 31even such as he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Yahweh.”

32This is the law for him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.

33Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 34“When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in the land of your possession, 35then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘There seems to me to be some sort of plague in the house.’ 36The priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to examine the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to inspect the house. 37He shall examine the plague; and behold, if the plague is in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and it appears to be deeper than the wall; 38then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 39The priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the plague has spread in the walls of the house, 40then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the plague, and cast them into an unclean place outside of the city: 41and he shall cause the inside of the house to be scraped round about, and they shall pour out the mortar, that they scraped off, outside of the city into an unclean place. 42They shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.

43“If the plague comes again, and breaks out in the house, after he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it was plastered; 44then the priest shall come in and look; and behold, if the plague has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew in the house. It is unclean. 45He shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the house’s mortar. He shall carry them out of the city into an unclean place.

46“Moreover he who goes into the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening. 47He who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes; and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48“If the priest shall come in, and examine it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the house, after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 49To cleanse the house he shall take two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. 50He shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 51He shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52He shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, with the living bird, with the cedar wood, with the hyssop, and with the scarlet; 53but he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field. So shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean.”

54This is the law for any plague of leprosy, and for an itch, 55and for the destructive mildew of a garment, and for a house, 56and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot; 57to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean.

This is the law of leprosy.

Chapter 15

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, because of his discharge he is unclean. 3This shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body has stopped from his discharge, it is his uncleanness.

4“‘Every bed whereon he who has the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything he sits on shall be unclean. 5Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 6He who sits on anything whereon the man who has the discharge sat shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

7“‘He who touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

8“‘If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

9“‘Whatever saddle he who has the discharge rides on shall be unclean. 10Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening. He who carries those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

11“‘Whoever he who has the discharge touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

12“‘The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

13“‘When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

14“‘On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before Yahweh to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest: 15and the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh for his discharge.

16“‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall bathe all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening. 17Every garment, and every skin, whereon the semen is, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening. 18If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening.

19“‘If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.

20“‘Everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean. 21Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 22Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 23If it is on the bed, or on anything whereon she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening.

24“‘If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed whereon he lies shall be unclean.

25“‘If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her period; all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall be as in the days of her period: she is unclean. 26Every bed whereon she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her period: and everything whereon she sits shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her period. 27Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

28“‘But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. 30The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before Yahweh for the uncleanness of her discharge.

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

32This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean thereby; 33and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean.

Chapter 16

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before Yahweh, and died; 2and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother, not to come at all times into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die: for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.

3“Herewith shall Aaron come into the sanctuary: with a young bull for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 4He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches on his body, and shall put on the linen sash, and he shall be dressed with the linen turban. They are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water, and put them on. 5He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6“Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7He shall take the two goats, and set them before Yahweh at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 8Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats; one lot for Yahweh, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh, and offer him for a sin offering. 10But the goat, on which the lot fell for the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, to send him away for the scapegoat into the wilderness.

11“Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. 12He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Yahweh, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: 13and he shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the testimony, so that he will not die. 14He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16and he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting, that dwells with them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17There shall be no one in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.

18“He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it on the horns of the altar round about. 19He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

20“When he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. 22The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.

23“Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. 24Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.

26“He who lets the goat go for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. 27The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried forth outside the camp; and they shall burn their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire. 28He who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

29“It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the native-born, or the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you: 30for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before Yahweh. 31It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever. 32The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be priest in his father’s place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments. 33Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.

34“This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.”

It was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Chapter 17

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, 3Whatever man there is of the house of Israel, who kills an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 4and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to offer it as an offering to Yahweh before the tabernacle of Yahweh: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people. 5This is to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to Yahweh. 6The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of Yahweh at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet savor to Yahweh. 7They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.’

8“You shall say to them, ‘Any man there is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, 9and doesn’t bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to sacrifice it to Yahweh; that man shall be cut off from his people.

10“‘Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. 12Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, “No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who lives as a foreigner among you eat blood.”

13“‘Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten; he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust. 14For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life: therefore I said to the children of Israel, “You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”

15“‘Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening: then he shall be clean. 16But if he doesn’t wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.’”

Chapter 18

1Yahweh said to Moses, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am Yahweh your God. 3You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived: and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes. 4You shall do my ordinances, and you shall keep my statutes, and walk in them: I am Yahweh your God. 5You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances; which if a man does, he shall live in them: I am Yahweh.

6“‘None of you shall approach anyone who are his close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh.

7“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

8“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife: it is your father’s nakedness.

9“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home, or born abroad.

10“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness: for theirs is your own nakedness.

11“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.

“‘ 12You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister: she is your father’s near kinswoman.

13“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister: for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.

14“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, you shall not approach his wife: she is your aunt.

15“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law: she is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

16“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife: it is your brother’s nakedness.

17“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

18“‘You shall not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is yet alive.

19“‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.

20“‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her.

21“‘You shall not give any of your children to sacrifice to Molech; neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am Yahweh.

22“‘You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman. That is detestible.

23“‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it; neither shall any woman give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

24“‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled. 25The land was defiled: therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomitted out her inhabitants. 26You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you; 27(for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land became defiled); 28that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

29“‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. 30Therefore you shall keep my charge, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs, which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them: I am Yahweh your God.’”

Chapter 19

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I Yahweh your God am holy.

3“‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am Yahweh your God.

4“‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.

5“‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. 6It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day: and if anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire. 7If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted; 8but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of Yahweh, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.

9“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.

11“‘You shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie to one another.

12“‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.

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

14“‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.

15“‘You shall do no injustice in judgment: you shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.

16“‘You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people; neither shall you stand against the life4242literally, “blood” of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.

17“‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.

18You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.

19“‘You shall keep my statutes.

“‘You shall not crossbreed different kinds of animals.

“‘you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed;

“‘neither shall there come upon on you a garment made of two kinds of material.

20“‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed, or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, even a ram for a trespass offering. 22The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before Yahweh for his sin which he has committed: and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.

23“‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden.4343literally, “uncircumcised” Three years shall they be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten. 24But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Yahweh. 25In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Yahweh your God.

26“‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it; neither shall you use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.

27You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your heads, neither shall you clip off the edge of your beard.

28“‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am Yahweh.

29Don’t profane your daughter, to make her a prostitute; lest the land fall to prostitution, and the land become full of wickedness.

30“‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am Yahweh.

31“‘Don’t turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.

32You shall rise up before the gray head, and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.

33“‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.

35“‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity. 36Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall you have. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37You shall observe all my statutes, and all my ordinances, and do them. I am Yahweh.’”

Chapter 20

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people because he has given of his seed to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 4If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person, when he gives of his seed to Molech, and don’t put him to death; 5then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him, to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.

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

7“‘Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am Yahweh your God. 8You shall keep my statutes, and do them. I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.

9“‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

10“‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 11The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

12“‘If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have committed a perversion; their blood shall be upon them.

13If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

14“‘If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burned with fire, both he and they; that there may be no wickedness among you.

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

16“‘If a woman approaches any animal, and lies down with it, you shall kill the woman, and the animal: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

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

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

19“‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister; for he has made naked his close relative: they shall bear their iniquity. 20If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

21“‘If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an impurity: he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

22“‘You shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my ordinances, and do them; that the land, where I am bringing you to dwell, may not vomit you out. 23You shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you: for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. 24But I have said to you, “You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am Yahweh your God, who has separated you from the peoples.

25“‘You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and you shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you. 26You shall be holy to me: for I, Yahweh, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.

27“‘A man or a woman that is a medium, or is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.’”

Chapter 21

1Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people; 2except for his relatives that are near to him: for his mother, for his father, for his son, for his daughter, for his brother, 3and for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself. 4He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

5“‘They shall not shave their heads, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.

7“‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband: for he is holy to his God. 8You shall sanctify him therefore; for he offers the bread of your God: he shall be holy to you: for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy.

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

10“‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor tear his clothes; 11neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 12neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am Yahweh.

13“‘He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14A widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry: but a virgin of his own people shall he take as a wife. 15He shall not profane his seed among his people: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him.’”

16Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17“Say to Aaron, ‘None of your seed throughout their generations who has a blemish, may approach to offer the bread of his God. 18For whatever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity, 19or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand, 20or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles; 21no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, who has a blemish, shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Since has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. 22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’”

24So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.

Chapter 22

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am Yahweh.

3Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your seed throughout your generations approaches the holy things, which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am Yahweh.

4“‘Whoever of the seed of Aaron is a leper or has an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goes from him; 5or whoever touches any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatever uncleanness he has; 6the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his body in water. 7When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread. 8That which dies of itself, or is torn by animals, he shall not eat, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh.

9“‘They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it. I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.

10“‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. 11But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they shall eat of his bread. 12If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things. 13But if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread: but no stranger shall eat any of it.

14“‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest. 15The priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Yahweh, 16and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt, when they eat their holy things: for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’”

17Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their freewill offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering; 19that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without blemish, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20But whatever has a blemish, that you shall not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. 22Blind, injured, maimed, having a wart, festering, or having a running sore, you shall not offer these to Yahweh, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Yahweh. 23Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 24That which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut, you shall not offer to Yahweh; neither shall you do thus in your land. 25Neither from the hand of a foreigner shall you offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them. There is a blemish in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’”

26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 27“When a bull, or a sheep, or a goat, is born, then it shall remain seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 28Whether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.

29“When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. 30It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am Yahweh.

31“Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh. 32You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am Yahweh who makes you holy, 33who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am Yahweh.”

Chapter 23

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.

3“‘Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of work. It is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings.

4“‘These are the set feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed season. 5In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Yahweh’s Passover. 6On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to Yahweh. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7In the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. 8But you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh seven days. In the seventh day is a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work.’”

9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap its the harvest, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest: 11and he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you. On the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12On the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 13The meal offering with it shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahweh for a sweet savor; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin. 14You shall eat neither bread, nor roasted grain, nor fresh grain, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God. This is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

15“‘You shall count from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be completed: 16even to the next day after the seventh Sabbath you shall number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to Yahweh. 17You shall bring out of your habitations two loaves of bread for a wave offering made of two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour. They shall be baked with yeast, for first fruits to Yahweh. 18You shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their meal offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet aroma to Yahweh. 19You shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20The priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before Yahweh, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to Yahweh for the priest. 21You shall make proclamation on the same day: there shall be a holy convocation to you; you shall do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

22“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap into the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.’”

23Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest to you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25You shall do no regular work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh.’”

26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 27“However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 28You shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God. 29For whoever it is who shall not deny himself in that same day; shall be cut off from his people. 30Whoever it is who does any manner of work in that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31You shall do no manner of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32It shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall deny yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your Sabbath.”

33Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 34“Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tents for seven days to Yahweh. 35On the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work. 36Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. It is a solemn assembly; you shall do no regular work.

37“‘These are the appointed feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, and a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, each on its own day; 38besides the Sabbaths of Yahweh, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to Yahweh.

39“‘So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God seven days. 41You shall keep it a feast to Yahweh seven days in the year: it is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. 42You shall dwell in booths seven days. All who are native-born in Israel shall dwell in booths, 43that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’”

44Moses declared to the children of Israel the appointed feasts of Yahweh.

Chapter 24

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually. 3Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, shall Aaron keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh continually: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 4He shall keep in order the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before Yahweh continually.

5“You shall take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes of it: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake. 6You shall set them in two rows, six on a row, on the pure gold table before Yahweh. 7You shall put pure frankincense on each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 8Every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before Yahweh continually. It is on the behalf of the children of Israel an everlasting covenant. 9It shall be for Aaron and his sons; and they shall eat it in a holy place: for it is most holy to him of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire by a perpetual statute.”

10The son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. 11The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. 12They put him in custody, until the will of Yahweh should be declared to them.

13Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 14“Bring out of the camp him who cursed; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 16He who blasphemes the name of Yahweh, he shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him: the foreigner as well as the native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

17“‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death. 18He who strikes a animal mortally shall make it good, life for life. 19If anyone injures his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him: 20fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has injured someone, so shall it be done to him. 21He who kills an animal shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death. 22You shall have one kind of law, for the foreigner as well as the native-born: for I am Yahweh your God.’”

23Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they brought forth him who had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. The children of Israel did as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Chapter 25

1Yahweh said to Moses in Mount Sinai, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to Yahweh. 3Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in its fruits; 4but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to Yahweh. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your undressed vine you shall not gather. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 6The Sabbath of the land shall be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant, for your maid, for your hired servant, and for your stranger, who lives as a foreigner with you. 7For your livestock also, and for the animals that are in your land, shall all the increase of it be for food.

8“‘You shall count off seven Sabbaths of years, seven times seven years; and there shall be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty-nine years. 9Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 10You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you; and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. 11That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee to you. In it you shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself, nor gather from the undressed vines. 12For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat of its increase out of the field.

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

14“‘If you sell anything to your neighbor, or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. 15According to the number of years after the Jubilee you shall buy from your neighbor. According to the number of years of the crops he shall sell to you. 16According to the length of the years you shall increase the price of it, and according to the shortness of the years you shall diminish the price of it; for he is selling the number of the crops to you. 17You shall not wrong one another; but you shall fear your God: for I am Yahweh your God.

18“‘Therefore you shall do my statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety. 19The land shall yield its fruit, and you shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. 20If you said, “What shall we eat the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase;” 21then I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for the three years. 22You shall sow the eighth year, and eat of the fruits, the old store; until the ninth year, until its fruits come in, you shall eat the old store.

23“‘The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and live as foreigners with me. 24In all the land of your possession you shall grant a redemption for the land.

25“‘If your brother becomes poor, and sells some of his possessions, then his kinsman who is next to him shall come, and redeem that which his brother has sold. 26If a man has no one to redeem it, and he becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it; 27then let him reckon the years since the sale of it, and restore the surplus to the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return to his property. 28But if he isn’t able to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hand of him who has bought it until the Year of Jubilee: and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.

29“‘If a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it has been sold. For a full year he shall have the right of redemption. 30If it isn’t redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to him who bought it, throughout his generations. It shall not be released in the Jubilee. 31But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be reckoned with the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the Jubilee.

32“‘Nevertheless the cities of the Levites, the houses in the cities of their possession, the Levites may redeem at any time. 33The Levites may redeem the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, and it shall be released in the Jubilee; for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. 34But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.

35“‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support him among you; then you shall uphold him. As a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. 36Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God; that your brother may live among you. 37You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38I am Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

39“‘If your brother has grown poor among you, and sells himself to you; you shall not make him to serve as a slave. 40As a hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with you; he shall serve with you until the Year of Jubilee: 41then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and shall return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. 43You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.

44“‘As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have; of the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45Moreover of the children of the strangers who sojourn among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property. 46You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever: but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.

47“‘If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him has grown poor, and sells himself to the stranger or foreigner living among you, or to a member of the stranger’s family; 48after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any who is a close relative to him of his family may redeem him; or if he has grown rich, he may redeem himself. 50He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year that he sold himself to him to the Year of Jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according to the number of years; according to the time of a hired servant shall he be with him. 51If there are yet many years, according to them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52If there remain but a few years to the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him; according to his years of service he shall give back the price of his redemption. 53As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him: he shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight. 54“‘If he isn’t redeemed by these means, then he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee, he, and his children with him. 55For to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.

Chapter 26

1“‘You shall make for yourselves no idols, neither shall you raise up an engraved image or a pillar, neither shall you place any figured stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am Yahweh your God.

2“‘You shall keep my Sabbaths, and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am Yahweh.

3“‘If you walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; 4then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5Your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time; and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.

6“‘I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one will make you afraid; and I will remove evil animals out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. 7You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8Five 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.

9“‘I will have respect for you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and will establish my covenant with you. 10You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall move out the old because of the new. 11I will set my tent among you: and my soul won’t abhor you. 12I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you will be my people. 13I am Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright.

14“‘But if you will not listen to me, and will not do all these commandments; 15and if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant; 16I also will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and you will sow your seed in vain, for your enemies will eat it. 17I will set my face against you, and you will be struck before your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you; and you will flee when no one pursues you.

18“‘If you in spite of these things will not listen to me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins. 19I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your sky like iron, and your soil like brass; 20and 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.

21“‘If you walk contrary to me, and won’t listen to me, then I will bring seven times more plagues on you according to your sins. 22I will send the wild animals among you, which will rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your roads will become desolate.

23“‘If by these things you won’t be reformed to me, but will walk contrary to me; 24then I will also walk contrary to you; and I will strike you, even I, seven times for your sins. 25I will bring a sword upon you, that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; and you will be gathered together within your cities: and I will send the pestilence among you; and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight: and you shall eat, and not be satisfied.

27“‘If you in spite of this won’t listen to me, but walk contrary to me; 28then I will walk contrary to you in wrath; and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins. 29You will eat the flesh of your sons, and you will eat the flesh of your daughters. 30I will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols; and my soul will abhor you. 31I will lay your cities waste, and will bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not take delight in the sweet fragrence of your offerings. 32I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell therein will be astonished at it. 33I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you: and your land will be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. 34Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and you are in your enemies’ land. Even then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, even the rest which it didn’t have in your sabbaths, when you lived on it.

36“‘As for those of you who are left, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies: and the sound of a driven leaf will put them to flight; and they shall flee, as one flees from the sword; and they will fall when no one pursues. 37They will stumble over one another, as it were before the sword, when no one pursues: and you will have no power to stand before your enemies. 38You will perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies will eat you up. 39Those of you who are left will pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

40“‘If they confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary to me, 41I also walked contrary to them, and brought them into the land of their enemies: if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity; 42then I will remember my covenant with Jacob; and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land. 43The land also will be left by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them: and they will accept the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes. 44Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am Yahweh their God; 45but I will for their sake remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am Yahweh.’”

46These are the statutes, ordinances and laws, which Yahweh made between him and the children of Israel in Mount Sinai by Moses.

Chapter 27

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man makes a vow, the persons shall be for Yahweh by your valuation. 3Your valuation shall be of a male from twenty years old even to sixty years old, even your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 4If it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels. 5If the person is from five years old even to twenty years old, then your valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels. 6If the person is from a month old even to five years old, then your valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver. 7If the person is from sixty years old and upward; if it is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels. 8But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to the ability of him who vowed shall the priest value him.

9“‘If it is an animal, of which men offer an offering to Yahweh, all that any man gives of such to Yahweh becomes holy. 10He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy. 11If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not offer as an offering to Yahweh, then he shall set the animal before the priest; 12and the priest shall value it, whether it is good or bad. As you the priest values it, so shall it be. 13But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of it to its valuation.

14“‘When a man dedicates his house to be holy to Yahweh, then the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad: as the priest shall evaluate it, so shall it stand. 15If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his.

16“‘If a man dedicates to Yahweh part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it: the sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver. 17If he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand. 18But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall reckon to him the money according to the years that remain to the Year of Jubilee; and an abatement shall be made from your valuation. 19If he who dedicated the field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall remain his. 20If he will not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more; 21but the field, when it goes out in the Jubilee, shall be holy to Yahweh, as a field devoted; it shall be owned by the priests.

22“‘If he dedicates to Yahweh a field which he has bought, which is not of the field of his possession, 23then the priest shall reckon to him the worth of your valuation up to the Year of Jubilee; and he shall give your valuation on that day, as a holy thing to Yahweh. 24In the Year of Jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land belongs. 25All your valuations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs to the shekel.

26“‘Only the firstborn among animals, which is made a firstborn to Yahweh, no man may dedicate it; whether an ox or sheep, it is Yahweh’s. 27If it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back according to your valuation, and shall add to it the fifth part of it: or if it isn’t redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

28“‘Notwithstanding, no devoted thing, that a man shall devote to Yahweh of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy to Yahweh.

29“‘No one devoted, who shall be devoted from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.

30“‘All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh. 31If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he shall add a fifth part to it. 32All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Yahweh. 33He shall not search whether it is good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he changes it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.’”

34These are the commandments which Yahweh commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.

Numbers

Chapter 1

1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one; 3from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their divisions. 4With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers’ house. 5These are the names of the men who shall stand with you:

Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

6Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

7Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

8Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar.

9Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.

10Of the children of Joseph:

Of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud.

Of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

11Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni.

12Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

13Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.

14Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

15Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.”

16These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel. 17Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name. 18They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one. 19As Yahweh commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20The 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; 21those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were numbered 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; 23those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24Of 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; 25those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

26Of the children of Judah, 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; 27those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were sixty-four thousand six hundred.

28Of the children of Issachar, 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; 29those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30Of the children of Zebulun, 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; 31those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 32Of the children of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by thir 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; 33those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred.

34Of the children of Manasseh, 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; 35those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36Of the children of Benjamin, 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; 37those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38Of the children of Dan, 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 forth to war; 39those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40Of the children of Asher, 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 forth to war; 41those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42Of the children of Naphtali, 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 forth to war; 43those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: they were each one for his fathers’ house. 45So all those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel; 46even all those who were numbered were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. 47But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 49“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel; 50but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle, and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it. 51When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 52The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions. 53But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

54Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they did.

Chapter 2

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2“The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses: at a distance from the tent of meeting shall they encamp around it.”

3Those who encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 4His division, and those who were numbered of them, were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

5Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and the prince of the children of Issachar shall be Nethanel the son of Zuar. 6His division, and those who were numbered of it, were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

7The tribe of Zebulun: and the prince of the children of Zebulun shall be Eliab the son of Helon. 8His division, and those who were numbered of it, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

9All who were numbered of the camp of Judah were one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out first.

10“On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. 11His division, and those who were numbered of it, were forty-six thousand five hundred.

12“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 13His division, and those who were numbered of them, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

14“The tribe of Gad: and the prince of the children of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. 15His division, and those who were numbered of them, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

16“All who were numbered of the camp of Reuben were one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty, according to their armies. They shall set out second.

17“Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps. As they encamp, so shall they set out, every man in his place, by their standards.

18“On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. 19His division, and those who were numbered of them, were forty thousand five hundred.

20“Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the prince of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 21His division, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

22“The tribe of Benjamin: and the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. 23His army, and those who were numbered of them, were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

24“All who were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred eight thousand one hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out third.

25“On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan according to their divisions: and the prince of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26His division, and those who were numbered of them, were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

27“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the prince of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ochran. 28His division, and those who were numbered of them, were forty-one thousand and five hundred.

29“The tribe of Naphtali: and the prince of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. 30His division, and those who were numbered of them, were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

31“All who were numbered of the camp of Dan were one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last by their standards.”

32These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. All who were numbered of the camps according to their armies were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. 33But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

34Thus the children of Israel did. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, everyone by their families, according to their fathers’ houses.

Chapter 3

1Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Yahweh spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai. 2These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. 4Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh, when they offered strange fire before Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the presence of Aaron their father.

5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7They shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. 8They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 9You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel. 10You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”

11Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine: 13for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am Yahweh.”

14Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15“Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number.”

16Moses numbered them according to the word of Yahweh, as he was commanded.

17These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

19The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi.

These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses.

21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.

23The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.

24The prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25The charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting, 26and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.

27Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. 28According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

29The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31Their charge shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service. 32Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the charge of the sanctuary.

33Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari. 34Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.

35The prince of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36The appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service, 37the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords. 38Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 39All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

40Yahweh said to Moses, “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. 41You shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”

42Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

44Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am Yahweh. 46For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites, 47you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs): 48and you shall give the money, with which the remainder of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.”

49Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites; 50from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Chapter 4

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 3from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting. 4This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things. 5When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it, 6and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. 7On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it. 8They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles. 9They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. 10They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame. 11On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles. 12They shall take all the vessels of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame. 13They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it. 14They shall put on it all its vessels, with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the flesh hooks, the shovels, and the basins; all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

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

16“The charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings.”

17Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 18“Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; 19but thus do to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them everyone to his service and to his burden; 20but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

21Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 22“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ houses, by their families; 23from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all who enter in to wait on the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting. 24This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens: 25they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the covering of sealskin that is above on it, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting, 26and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. Therein shall they serve. 27At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden, and in all their service; and you shall appoint to them in charge all their burden. 28This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

29“As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families, by their fathers’ houses; 30from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shall you number them, everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting. 31This is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, 32and the pillars of the court around it, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name you shall appoint the instruments of the charge of their burden. 33This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

34Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses, 35from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service, for work in the Tent of Meeting. 36Those who were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty. 37These are those who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

38Those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, their families, and by their fathers’ houses, 39from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service, for work in the Tent of Meeting, 40even those who were numbered of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty. 41These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh. 42Those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 43from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service, for work in the Tent of Meeting, 44even those who were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred. 45These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. 46All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses, 47from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service, and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting, 48even those who were numbered of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty. 49According to the commandment of Yahweh they were numbered by Moses, everyone according to his service, and according to his burden. Thus were they numbered by him, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Chapter 5

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead. 3Both male and female shall you put out, outside of the camp shall you put them; that they not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”

4The children of Israel did so, and put them out outside of the camp; as Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel.

5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6“Speak to the children of Israel: When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul is guilty; 7then he shall confess his sin which he has done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty. 8But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to Yahweh shall be the priest’s; besides the ram of the atonement, by which atonement shall be made for him. 9Every heave offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present to the priest, shall be his. 10Every man’s holy things shall be his: whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.”

11Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 12“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: If any man’s wife goes astray, and is unfaithful to him, 13and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and is kept close, and she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she isn’t taken in the act; 14and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she isn’t defiled: 15then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her: the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory. 16The priest shall bring her near, and set her before Yahweh; 17and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water. 18The priest shall set the woman before Yahweh, and let the hair of the woman’s head go loose, and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse. 19The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you haven’t gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse. 20But if you have gone astray, being under your husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband:’ 21then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, ‘Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell; 22and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.’ The woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

23“The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness. 24He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causes the curse; and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter. 25The priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the meal offering before Yahweh, and bring it to the altar. 26The priest shall take a handful of the meal offering, as the memorial of it, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen, if she is defiled, and has committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away: and the woman will be a curse among her people. 28If the woman isn’t defiled, but is clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.

29“This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled; 30or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before Yahweh, and the priest shall execute on her all this law. 31The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.”

Chapter 6

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them: When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh, 3he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of fermented drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. 4All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.

5“All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.

6“All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body. 7He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die; because his separation to God is on his head. 8All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh.

9“If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it. 10On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. 11The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day. 12He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

13“This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the Tent of Meeting, 14and he shall offer his offering to Yahweh, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 15and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings. 16The priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering. 17He shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering, and its drink offering. 18The Nazirite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. 19The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the head of his separation; 20and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.

21“This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the law of his separation.”

22Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 23“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,

24‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you.

25Yahweh make his face to shine on you,

And be gracious to you.

26Yahweh lift up his face toward you,

And give you peace.’

27“So they shall put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”

Chapter 7

1It happened on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it, with all its furniture, and the altar with all its vessels, and had anointed and sanctified them; 2that the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, offered. These were the princes of the tribes. These are they who were over those who were numbered: 3and they brought their offering before Yahweh, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for every two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they presented them before the tabernacle. 4Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 5“Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the service of the Tent of Meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service.”

6Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. 7He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service: 8and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them; they carried it on their shoulders.

10The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes gave their offerings before the altar.

11Yahweh said to Moses, “They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedication of the altar.”

12He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah, 13and his offering was:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

14one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

15one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

16one male goat for a sin offering;

17and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

18On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, gave his offering. 19He offered for his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

20one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

21one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

22one male goat for a sin offering;

23and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

24On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun 25gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

26one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

27one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

28one male goat for a sin offering;

29and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

30On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben 31gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

32one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

33one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

34one male goat for a sin offering;

35and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

36On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon 37gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

38one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

39one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

40one male goat for a sin offering;

41and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

42On the sixth day, Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad 43gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

44one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

45one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

46one male goat for a sin offering;

47and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

48On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim 49gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

50one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

51one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

52one male goat for a sin offering;

53and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

54On the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh 55gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

56one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

57one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

58one male goat for a sin offering;

59and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

60On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin 61gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

62one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

63one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

64one male goat for a sin offering;

65and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

66On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan 67gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

68one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

69one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

70one male goat for a sin offering;

71and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher 73gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

74one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense;

75one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

76one male goat for a sin offering;

77and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.

78On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali 79gave his offering:

one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels,

one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering;

80one golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense;

81one young bull,

one ram,

one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

82one male goat for a sin offering;

83and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

84This was the dedication of the altar, on the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, twelve golden ladles; 85each silver platter weighing one hundred thirty shekels, and each bowl seventy; all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; 86the twelve golden ladles, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the ladles weighed one hundred twenty shekels; 87all the oxen for the burnt offering twelve bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, and their meal offering; and the male goats for a sin offering twelve; 88and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after it was anointed.

89When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Yahweh, he heard his voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim: and he spoke to him.

Chapter 8

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to Aaron, and tell him, ‘When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.’”

3Aaron did so. He lit its lamps to light the area in front of the lampstand, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 4This was the workmanship of the lampstand, beaten work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was beaten work: according to the pattern which Yahweh had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6“Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7Thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, let them shave their whole bodies with a razor, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. 8Then let them take a young bull, and its meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and another young bull you shall take for a sin offering. 9You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting. You shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel. 10You shall present the Levites before Yahweh. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, 11and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Yahweh for a wave offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Yahweh. 12The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites. 13You shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to Yahweh. 14Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.

15“After that, the Levites shall go in to do the service of the Tent of Meeting: and you shall cleanse them, and offer them as a wave offering. 16For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me. 17For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself. 18I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 19I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel; that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary.”

20Thus did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the Levites. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the children of Israel did to them. 21The Levites purified themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a wave offering before Yahweh; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22After that, the Levites went in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting before Aaron, and before his sons: as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

23Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24“This is that which belongs to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting; 25and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting on the work, and shall serve no more, 26but shall minister with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites concerning their duties.”

Chapter 9

1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2“Moreover let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season. 3On the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it in its appointed season„according to all its statutes, and according to all its ordinances, you shall keep it.”

4Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. 5They kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did. 6There were certain men, who were unclean because of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day. 7Those men said to him, “We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season among the children of Israel?”

8Moses answered them, “Wait, that I may hear what Yahweh will command concerning you.”

9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10“Say to the children of Israel, ‘If any man of you or of your generations is unclean by reason of a dead body, or is on a journey far away, he shall still keep the Passover to Yahweh. 11In the second month, on the fourteenth day at evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it. According to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it. 13But the man who is clean, and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people. Because he didn’t offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 14If a foreigner lives among you, and desires to keep the Passover to Yahweh; according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner, and for him who is born in the land.’”

15On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the Tent of the Testimony: and at evening it was over the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until morning. 16So it was continually. The cloud covered it, and the appearance of fire by night. 17Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel traveled; and in the place where the cloud remained, there the children of Israel encamped. 18At the commandment of Yahweh, the children of Israel traveled, and at the commandment of Yahweh they encamped. As long as the cloud remained on the tabernacle they remained encamped. 19When the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of Yahweh, and didn’t travel. 20Sometimes the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. 21Sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled: or by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they traveled. 22Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle, remaining on it, the children of Israel remained encamped, and didn’t travel; but when it was taken up, they traveled. 23At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped, and at the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. They kept the charge of Yahweh, at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

Chapter 10

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Make you two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shall you make them: and you shall use them for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps. 3When they shall blow them, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the tent of meeting. 4If they blow but one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5When you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their journey. 6When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and they shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations. 9When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10Also in the day of your gladness, and in your set feasts, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God: I am Yahweh your God. 11It happened in the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was taken up from over the tent of the testimony. 12The children of Israel set forward according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran. 13They first took their journey according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. 14In the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward according to their armies: and over his army was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16Over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17The tent was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tent, set forward. 18The standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his army was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20Over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21The Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the others did set up the tent against their coming. 22The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his army was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24Over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25The standard of the camp of the children of Dan, which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their armies: and over his army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27Over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28Thus were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies; and they set forward. 29Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, We are journeying to the place of which Yahweh said, I will give it you: come you with us, and we will do you good; for Yahweh has spoken good concerning Israel. 30He said to him, I will not go; but I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives. 31He said, Don’t leave us, please; because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you shall be to us instead of eyes. 32It shall be, if you go with us, yes, it shall be, that whatever good Yahweh shall do to us, the same will we do to you. 33They set forward from the Mount of Yahweh three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34The cloud of Yahweh was over them by day, when they set forward from the camp. 35It happened, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Yahweh, and let your enemies be scattered; and let those who hate you flee before you. 36When it rested, he said, Return, Yahweh, to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.

Chapter 11

1The people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of Yahweh: and when Yahweh heard it, his anger was kindled; and the fire of Yahweh burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp. 2The people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to Yahweh, and the fire abated. 3The name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of Yahweh burnt among them. 4The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: 6but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look on. 7The manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance of it as the appearance of bdellium. 8The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it. 10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased. 11Moses said to Yahweh, Why have you dealt ill with your servant? and why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Have I conceived all this people? Have I brought them forth, that you should tell me, Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which you swore to their fathers? 13Where should I get meat to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us meat, that we may eat. 14I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15If you deal thus with me, please kill me out of hand, if I have found favor in your sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 16Yahweh said to Moses, Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17I will come down and talk with you there: and 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 not bear it yourself alone. 18Say you to the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of Yahweh, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore Yahweh will give you flesh, and you shall eat. 19You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, 20but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome to you; because that you have rejected Yahweh who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? 21Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and you have said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 23Yahweh said to Moses, Has Yahweh’s hand grown short? now shall you see whether my word shall happen to you or not. 24Moses went out, and told the people the words of Yahweh: and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent. 25Yahweh came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy elders: and it happened that when the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did so no more. 26But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp. 27There ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29Moses said to him, Are you jealous for my sake? would that all Yahweh’s people were prophets, that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them! 30Moses got him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 31There went forth a wind from Yahweh, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the earth. 32The people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails: he who gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33While the flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of Yahweh was kindled against the people, and Yahweh struck the people with a very great plague. 34The name of that place was called Kibrothhattaavah, because there they buried the people who lusted. 35From Kibrothhattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.

Chapter 12

1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. 2They said, Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us? Yahweh heard it. 3Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men who were on the surface of the earth. 4Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tent of meeting. They three came out. 5Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth. 6He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. 7My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: 8with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Yahweh shall he see: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? 9The anger of Yahweh was kindled against them; and he departed. 10The cloud removed from over the Tent; and behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow: and Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, please don’t lay sin on us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned. 12Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb. 13Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, Heal her, God, I beg you. 14Yahweh said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. 15Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days: and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again. 16Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

Chapter 13

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Send you men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, everyone a prince among them. 3Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Yahweh: all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel. 4These were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. 9Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. 17Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, Go up this way by the South, and go up into the hill country: 18and see the land, what it is; and the people who dwell therein, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many; 19and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds; 20and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is wood therein, or not. Be of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes. 21So they went up, and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, to the entrance of Hamath. 22They went up by the South, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23They came to the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it on a staff between two; they brought also of the pomegranates, and of the figs. 24That place was called the valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from there. 25They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. 26They went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them, and to all the congregation, and shown them the fruit of the land. 27They told him, and said, We came to the land where you sent us; and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28However the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29Amalek dwells in the land of the South: and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan. 30Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31But the men who went up with him said, We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up the inhabitants of it; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Chapter 14

1All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said to them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt? 4They said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. 5Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes: 7and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceeding good land. 8If Yahweh delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which flows with milk and honey. 9Only don’t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us: don’t fear them. 10But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. The glory of Yahweh appeared in the tent of meeting to all the children of Israel. 11Yahweh said to Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them? 12I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they. 13Moses said to Yahweh, Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them; 14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you Yahweh are in the midst of this people; for you Yahweh are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15Now if you shall kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying, 16Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness. 17Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying, 18Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation. 19Pardon, Please, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. 20Yahweh said, I have pardoned according to your word: 21but in very deed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Yahweh; 22because all those men who have seen my glory, and my signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not listened to my voice; 23surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it: 24but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him will I bring into the land into which he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25Now the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley: tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea. 26Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28Tell them, As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you: 29your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, 30surely you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31But your little ones, that you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. 32But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33Your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your prostitution, until your dead bodies be consumed in the wilderness. 34After the number of the days in which you spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know my alienation. 35I, Yahweh, have spoken, surely this will I do to all this evil congregation, who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. 36The men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land, 37even those men who did bring up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before Yahweh. 38But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land. 39Moses told these words to all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. 40They rose up early in the morning, and got them up to the top of the mountain, saying, Behold, we are here, and will go up to the place which Yahweh has promised: for we have sinned. 41Moses said, Why now do you disobey the commandment of Yahweh, seeing it shall not prosper? 42Don’t go up, for Yahweh isn’t among you; that you not be struck down before your enemies. 43For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you are turned back from following Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you. 44But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and Moses, didn’t depart out of the camp. 45Then the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.

Chapter 15

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you are come into the land of your habitations, which I give to you, 3and will make an offering by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or as a freewill offering, or in your set feasts, to make a sweet savor to Yahweh, of the herd, or of the flock; 4then shall he who offers his offering offer to Yahweh a meal offering of a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of oil: 5and wine for the drink offering, the fourth part of a hin, shall you prepare with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb. 6Or for a ram, you shall prepare for a meal offering two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the third part of a hin of oil: 7and for the drink offering you shall offer the third part of a hin of wine, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 8When you prepare a bull for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice, to accomplish a vow, or for peace offerings to Yahweh; 9then shall he offer with the bull a meal offering of three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil: 10and you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 11Thus shall it be done for each bull, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs, or of the young goats. 12According to the number that you shall prepare, so shall you do to everyone according to their number. 13All who are native-born shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 14If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh; as you do, so he shall do. 15For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you, a statute forever throughout your generations: as you are, so shall the foreigner be before Yahweh. 16One law and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you. 17Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land where I bring you, 19then it shall be that when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall offer up a wave offering to Yahweh. 20Of the first of your dough you shall offer up a cake for a wave offering: as the wave offering of the threshing floor, so shall you heave it. 21Of the first of your dough you shall give to Yahweh a wave offering throughout your generations. 22When you shall err, and not observe all these commandments, which Yahweh has spoken to Moses, 23even all that Yahweh has commanded you by Moses, from the day that Yahweh gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations; 24then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor to Yahweh, with the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. 25The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, and their sin offering before Yahweh, for their error: 26and all the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them; for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly. 27If one person sins unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. 28The priest shall make atonement for the soul who errs, when he sins unwittingly, before Yahweh, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. 29You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them. 30But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, the same blasphemes Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31Because he has despised the word of Yahweh, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be on him. 32While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35Yahweh said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp. 36All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 37Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 38Speak to the children of Israel, and bid those who they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue: 39and it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, and do them; and that you not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to play the prostitute; 40that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. 41I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am Yahweh your God.

Chapter 16

1Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2and they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly, men of renown; 3and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, You take too much on you, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and Yahweh is among them: why then lift yourselves up above the assembly of Yahweh? 4When Moses heard it, he fell on his face: 5and he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, In the morning Yahweh will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he shall choose he will cause to come near to him. 6This do: take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7and put fire in them, and put incense on them before Yahweh tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom Yahweh does choose, he shall be holy: you take too much on you, you sons of Levi. 8Moses said to Korah, Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9seems it but a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of the tent of Yahweh, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? and seek you the priesthood also? 11Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh: and Aaron, what is he who you murmur against him? 12Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; and they said, We won’t come up: 13is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must needs make yourself also a prince over us? 14Moreover you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: will you put out the eyes of these men? we won’t come up. 15Moses was very angry, and said to Yahweh, “Don’t respect their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.” 16Moses said to Korah, You and all your company go before Yahweh, you, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow: 17and take every man his censer, and put incense on them, and bring you before Yahweh every man his censer, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer. 18They took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19Korah assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation. 20Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22They fell on their faces, and said, God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation? 23Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24Speak to the congregation, saying, Get away from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. 27So they got them up from the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little ones. 28Moses said, Hereby you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind. 29If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then Yahweh hasn’t sent me. 30But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh. 31It happened, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them; 32and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah, and all their goods. 33So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34All Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up. 35Fire came forth from Yahweh, and devoured the two hundred fifty men who offered the incense. 36Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 37Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter you the fire yonder; for they are holy, 38even the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Yahweh; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel. 39Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, which those who were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar, 40to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, who isn’t of the seed of Aaron, comes near to burn incense before Yahweh; that he not be as Korah, and as his company: as Yahweh spoke to him by Moses. 41But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of Yahweh. 42It happened, when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tent of meeting: and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. 43Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting. 44Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 45Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces. 46Moses said to Aaron, Take your censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Yahweh; the plague is begun. 47Aaron took as Moses spoke, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 48He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides those who died about the matter of Korah. 50Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tent of meeting: and the plague was stayed.

Chapter 17

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods: write you every man’s name on his rod. 3You shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses. 4You shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you. 6Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony. 8It happened on the next day, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 10Yahweh said to Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die. 11Thus did Moses: as Yahweh commanded him, so did he. 12The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. 13Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of Yahweh, dies: shall we perish all of us?

Chapter 18

1Yahweh said to Aaron, You and your sons and your fathers’ house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2Your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, bring you near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you: but you and your sons with you shall be before the tent of the testimony. 3They shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you. 4They shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come near to you. 5You shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there be wrath no more on the children of Israel. 6I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 8Yahweh spoke to Aaron, I, behold, I have given you the charge of my wave offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel; to you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. 9This shall be your of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every meal offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons. 10As the most holy things shall you eat of it; every male shall eat of it: it shall be holy to you. 11This is your: the wave offering of their gift, even all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a portion forever; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 12All the best of the oil, and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them which they give to Yahweh, to you have I given them. 13The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to Yahweh, shall be yours; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 14Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours. 15Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal shall be yours: nevertheless the firstborn of man shall you surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals shall you redeem. 16Those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). 17But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy: you shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to Yahweh. 18The flesh of them shall be your, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours. 19All the wave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to Yahweh, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever: it is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to your seed with you. 20Yahweh said to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them: I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. 21To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting. 22Henceforth the children of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. 23But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a wave offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 26Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a wave offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe. 27Your wave offering shall be reckoned to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28Thus you also shall offer a wave offering to Yahweh of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel; and of it you shall give Yahweh’s wave offering to Aaron the priest. 29Out of all your gifts you shall offer every wave offering of Yahweh, of all the best of it, even the holy part of it out of it. 30Therefore you shall tell them, When you heave the best of it from it, then it shall be reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the winepress. 31You shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it the best of it: and you shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that you not die.

Chapter 19

1Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no blemish, and on which never came yoke. 3You shall give her to Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring her forth outside of the camp, and one shall kill her before his face: 4and Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 5One shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 6and the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 7Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. 8He who burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 9A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place; and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water for impurity: it is a sin offering. 10He who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them, for a statute forever. 11He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days: 12the same shall purify himself therewith on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he doesn’t purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. 13Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and doesn’t purify himself, defiles the tent of Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him. 14This is the law when a man dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15Every open vessel, which has no covering bound on it, is unclean. 16Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin offering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: 18and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave: 19and the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. 20But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of Yahweh: the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21It shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until even. 22Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the soul that touches it shall be unclean until even.

Chapter 20

1The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2There was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3The people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh! 4Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals? 5Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. 7Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 8Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak you to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink. 9Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him. 10Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? 11Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, Because you didn’t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. 13These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them. 14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has happened to us: 15how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers: 16and when we cried to Yahweh, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border. 17Please let us pass through your land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king’s highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border. 18Edom said to him, You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you. 19The children of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then will I give the price of it: let me only, without doing anything else, pass through on my feet. 20He said, You shall not pass through. Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 21Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: why Israel turned away from him. 22They traveled from Kadesh: and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, 24Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. 25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there. 27Moses did as Yahweh commanded: and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

Chapter 21

1The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. 2Israel vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. 3Yahweh listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah. 4They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5The people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread. 6Yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7The people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, because we have spoken against Yahweh, and against you; pray to Yahweh, that he take away the serpents from us. Moses prayed for the people. 8Yahweh said to Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard: and it shall happen, that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live. 9Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it on the standard: and it happened, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of brass, he lived. 10The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth. 11They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise. 12From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered. 13From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that comes out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14Therefore it is said in the book of the Wars of Yahweh,

Vaheb in Suphah,

The valleys of the Arnon,

15The slope of the valleys

That inclines toward the dwelling of Ar,

Leans on the border of Moab.

16From there they traveled to Beer: that is the well of which Yahweh said to Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

17Then sang Israel this song:

Spring up, well; sing you to it:

18The well, which the princes dug,

Which the nobles of the people dug,

With the scepter, and with their poles.

From the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah; 19and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert. 21Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22Let me pass through your land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king’s highway, until we have passed your border. 23Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz; and he fought against Israel. 24Israel 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 strong. 25Israel took all these cities: and Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the towns of it. 26For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even to the Arnon. 27Therefore those who speak in proverbs say,

Come you to Heshbon;

Let the city of Sihon be built and established:

28For a fire is 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.

29Woe to you, Moab!

You are undone, people of Chemosh:

He has given his sons as fugitives,

His daughters into captivity,

To Sihon king of the Amorites.

30We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even to Dibon,

We have laid waste even to Nophah,

Which reaches to Medeba.

31Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took the towns of it, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33They turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34Yahweh said to Moses, Don’t fear him: for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon. 35So they struck him, and his sons and all his people, until there was none left him remaining: and they possessed his land.

Chapter 22

1The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 4Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field. Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they abide over against me. 6Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure 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. 7The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8He said to them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 9God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you? 10Balaam said to God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it covers the surface of the earth: now, come curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out. 12God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people; for they are blessed. 13Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for Yahweh refuses to give me leave to go with you. 14The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, Balaam refuses to come with us. 15Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. 16They came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me: 17for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me. 18Balaam answered the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more. 19Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what Yahweh will speak to me more. 20God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, If the men are come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that shall you do. 21Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 22God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way. 24Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. 25The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he struck her again. 26The angel of Yahweh went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times? 29Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you. 30The donkey said to Balaam, Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? was I ever wont to do so to you? and he said, No. 31Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. 32The angel of Yahweh said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me: 33and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain you, and saved her alive. 34Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again. 35The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36When Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border. 37Balak said to Balaam, Didn’t I earnestly send to you to call you? why didn’t you come to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor? 38Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak. 39Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth. 40Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him. 41It happened in the morning, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.

Chapter 23

1Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams. 2Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bull and a ram. 3Balaam said to Balak, Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go: perhaps Yahweh will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you. He went to a bare height. 4God met Balaam: and he said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on every altar. 5Yahweh put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak. 6He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7He took up his parable, and said, From Aram has Balak brought me, The king of Moab from the mountains of the East: Come, curse me Jacob, Come, defy Israel. 8How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy, whom Yahweh has not defied? 9For from the top of the rocks I see him, From the hills I see him: behold, it is a people that dwells alone, And shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, Let my last end be like his! 11Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them altogether. 12He answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which Yahweh puts in my mouth? 13Balak said to him, Please come with me to another place, from whence you may see them; you shall see but the utmost part of them, and shall not see them all: and curse me them from there. 14He took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar. 15He said to Balak, Stand here by your burnt offering, while I meet Yahweh yonder. 16Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak. 17He came to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, What has Yahweh spoken? 18He took up his parable, and said,

Rise up, Balak, and hear;

Listen to me, you son of Zippor:

19God is not a man, that he should lie,

Neither the son of man, that he should repent:

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?

20Behold, I have received commandment to bless:

He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it.

21He has not saw iniquity in Jacob;

Neither has he seen perverseness in Israel:

Yahweh his God is with him,

The shout of a king is among them.

22God brings them forth out of Egypt;

He has as it were the strength of the wild ox.

23Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob;

Neither is there any divination with Israel:

Now shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel,

What has God done!

24Behold, the people rises up as a lioness,

As a lion does he lift himself up:

He shall not lie down until he eat of the prey,

Drink the blood of the slain.

25Balak said to Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. 26But Balaam answered Balak, Didn’t I tell you, saying, All that Yahweh speaks, that I must do? 27Balak said to Balaam, Come now, I will take you to another place; peradventure it will please God that you may curse me them from there. 28Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks down on the desert. 29Balaam said to Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bulls and seven rams. 30Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bull and a ram on every altar.

Chapter 24

1When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came on him. 3He took up his parable, and said,

Balaam the son of Beor says,

The man whose eye was closed says;

4He says, who hears the words of God,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, and having his eyes open:

5How goodly are your tents, Jacob,

Your tents, Israel!

6As valleys are they spread forth,

As gardens by the riverside,

As aloes which Yahweh has planted,

As cedar trees beside the waters.

7Water shall flow from his buckets,

His seed shall be in many waters,

His king shall be higher than Agag,

His kingdom shall be exalted.

8God brings him forth out of Egypt;

He has as it were the strength of the wild ox:

He shall eat up the nations his adversaries,

Shall break their bones in pieces,

Smite them through with his arrows.

9He couched, he lay down as a lion,

As a lioness; who shall rouse him up?

Blessed be everyone who blesses you,

Cursed be everyone who curses you.

10Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times. 11Therefore now flee you to your place: I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor. 12Balaam said to Balak, Didn’t I also tell your messengers who you sent to me, saying, 13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh, to do either good or bad of my own mind; what Yahweh speaks, that will I speak? 14Now, behold, I go to my people: come, and I will advertise you what this people shall do to your people in the latter days. 15He took up his parable, and said,

Balaam the son of Beor says,

The man whose eye was closed says;

16He says, who hears the words of God,

Knows the knowledge of the Most High,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, and having his eyes open:

17I see him, but not now;

I see him, but not near:

There shall come forth a star out of Jacob,

A scepter shall rise out of Israel,

Shall strike through the corners of Moab,

Break down all the sons of tumult.

18Edom shall be a possession,

Seir also shall be a possession, who were his enemies;

While Israel does valiantly.

19Out of Jacob shall one have dominion,

Shall destroy the remnant from the city.

20He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said,

Amalek was the first of the nations;

But his latter end shall come to destruction.

21He looked at the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said,

Strong is your dwelling place,

Your nest is set in the rock.

22Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted,

Until Asshur shall carry you away captive.

23He took up his parable, and said,

Alas, who shall live when God does this?

24But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,

They shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber;

He also shall come to destruction.

25Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.

Chapter 25

1Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab: 2for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. 3Israel joined himself to Baal Peor: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel. 4Yahweh said to Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel. 5Moses said to the judges of Israel, Kill you everyone his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.

6Behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting. 7When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand; 8and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. 10Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 11Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. 12Therefore say, Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace: 13and it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel. 14Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites. 15The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian. 16Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17Vex the Midianites, and strike them; 18for they vex you with their wiles, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.

Chapter 26

1It happened after the plague, that Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 2Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go forth to war in Israel. 3Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 4Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as Yahweh commanded Moses and the children of Israel, that came forth out of the land of Egypt. 5Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; 6of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. 7These are the families of the Reubenites; and those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred thirty. 8The sons of Pallu: Eliab. 9The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were called of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against Yahweh, 10and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died; what time the fire devoured two hundred fifty men, and they became a sign. 11Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah didn’t die. 12The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; 13of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred. 15The sons of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; 16of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; 17of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. 18These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred. 19The sons of Judah: Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20The sons of Judah after their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. 21The sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 22These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them, seventy-six thousand five hundred. 23The sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites; 24of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 25These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them, sixty-four thousand three hundred. 26The sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 27These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them, sixty thousand five hundred. 28The sons of Joseph after their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. 29The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir became the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 30These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; 31and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; 32and of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 33Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34These are the families of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were fifty-two thousand seven hundred. 35These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 36These are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. 37These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them, thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families. 38The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 39of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 41These are the sons of Benjamin after their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred. 42These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families. 43All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were sixty-four thousand four hundred. 44The sons of Asher after their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Berites. 45Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 46The name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them, fifty-three thousand and four hundred. 48The sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; 49of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 50These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand four hundred. 51These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred one thousand seven hundred thirty. 52Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 53To these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54To the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: to everyone according to those who were numbered of him shall his inheritance be given. 55Notwithstanding, the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer. 57These are those who were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. Kohath became the father of Amram. 59The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt: and she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister. 60To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before Yahweh. 62Those who were numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel. 63These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 64But among these there was not a man of them who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65For Yahweh had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. There was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Chapter 27

1Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2They stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying, 3Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against Yahweh in the company of Korah: but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. 4Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among the brothers of our father. 5Moses brought their cause before Yahweh. 6Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 7The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: you shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers; and you shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. 8You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. 9If he have no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10If he have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11If his father have no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his kinsman who is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be to the children of Israel a statute and ordinance, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 12Yahweh said to Moses, Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered; 14because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes. (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15Moses spoke to Yahweh, saying, 16Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of Yahweh not be as sheep which have no shepherd. 18Yahweh said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. 20You shall put of your honor on him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey. 21He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. 22Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: 23and he laid his hands on him, and gave him a charge, as Yahweh spoke by Moses.

Chapter 28

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Command the children of Israel, and tell them, My offering, my food for my offerings made by fire, of a sweet savor to me, shall you observe to offer to me in their due season. 3You shall tell them, This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to Yahweh: male lambs a year old without blemish, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4The one lamb shall you offer in the morning, and the other lamb shall you offer at even; 5and the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil. 6It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 7The drink offering of it shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shall you pour out a drink offering of strong drink to Yahweh. 8The other lamb shall you offer at even: as the meal offering of the morning, and as the drink offering of it, you shall offer it, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh. 9On the Sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, and the drink offering of it: 10this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it. 11In the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, and one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 12and three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13and a tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savor, an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 14Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, and the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. 15One male goat for a sin offering to Yahweh; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it. 16In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh’s Passover. 17On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18In the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work; 19but you shall offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, and one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; they shall be to you without blemish; 20and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenth parts shall you offer for a bull, and two tenth parts for the ram; 21a tenth part shall you offer for every lamb of the seven lambs; 22and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. 23You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24After this manner you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh: it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it. 25On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work. 26Also in the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new meal offering to Yahweh in your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work; 27but you shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savor to Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; 28and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for each bull, two tenth parts for the one ram, 29a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs; 30one male goat, to make atonement for you. 31Besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, you shall offer them (they shall be to you without blemish), and their drink offerings.

Chapter 29

1In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing of trumpets to you. 2You shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savor to Yahweh: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the ram, 4and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs; 5and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and the meal offering of it, and the continual burnt offering and the meal offering of it, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 7On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; and you shall afflict your souls: you shall do no manner of work; 8but you shall offer a burnt offering to Yahweh for a sweet savor: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; they shall be to you without blemish; 9and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the one ram, 10a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs: 11one male goat for a sin offering; besides the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and their drink offerings. 12On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work, and you shall keep a feast to Yahweh seven days: 13and you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh; thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; 14and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams, 15and a tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs; 16and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it. 17On the second day you shall offer twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish; 18and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 19and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and their drink offerings. 20On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish; 21and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 22and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it. 23On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish; 24their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 25and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it. 26On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish; 27and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 28and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it. 29On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish; 30and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 31and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offerings of it. 32On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish; 33and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance; 34and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it. 35On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work; 36but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 37their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the ordinance: 38and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it. 39These you shall offer to Yahweh in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings. 40Moses told the children of Israel according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses.

Chapter 30

1Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded. 2When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3Also when a woman vows a vow to Yahweh, and binds herself by a bond, being in her father’s house, in her youth, 4and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. 5But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and Yahweh will forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 6If she be married to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul, 7and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand. 8But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and Yahweh will forgive her. 9But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, even everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her. 10If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, 11and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and didn’t disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. 12But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and Yahweh will forgive her. 13Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. 14But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. 15But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity. 16These are the statutes, which Yahweh commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father’s house.

Chapter 31

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward you shall be gathered to your people. 3Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm you men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on Midian. 4Of every tribe one thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall you send to the war. 5So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6Moses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7They warred against Midian, as Yahweh commanded Moses; and they killed every male. 8They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword. 9The children of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their livestock, and all their flocks, and all their goods, they took for a prey. 10All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire. 11They took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of man and of animal. 12They brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho. 13Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside of the camp. 14Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15Moses said to them, Have you saved all the women alive? 16Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Yahweh. 17Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19Encamp you outside of the camp seven days: whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives. 20As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves. 21Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the battle, This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded Moses: 22however the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23everything that may abide the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water. 24You shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp. 25Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 26Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of animal, you, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the congregation; 27and divide the prey into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. 28Levy a tribute to Yahweh of the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the donkeys, and of the flocks: 29take it of their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest, for Yahweh’s wave offering. 30Of the children of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, even of all the livestock, and give them to the Levites, who keep the charge of the tent of Yahweh. 31Moses and Eleazar the priest did as Yahweh commanded Moses. 32Now the prey, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred seventy-five thousand sheep, 33and seventy-two thousand oxen, 34and seventy-one thousand donkeys, 35and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known man by lying with him. 36The half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, was in number three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep: 37and Yahweh’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred seventy-five. 38The oxen were thirty-six thousand; of which Yahweh’s tribute was seventy-two. 39The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred; of which Yahweh’s tribute was sixty-one. 40The persons were sixteen thousand; of whom Yahweh’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41Moses gave the tribute, which was Yahweh’s wave offering, to Eleazar the priest, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 42Of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided off from the men who warred 43(now the congregation’s half was three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44and thirty-six thousand oxen, 45and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46and sixteen thousand persons), 47even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animal, and gave them to the Levites, who kept the charge of the tent of Yahweh; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 48The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; 49and they said to Moses, Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our charge, and there lacks not one man of us. 50We have brought Yahweh’s offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before Yahweh. 51Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all worked jewels. 52All the gold of the wave offering that they offered up to Yahweh, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels. 53(For the men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.) 54Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, for a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh.

Chapter 32

1Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place for livestock; 2the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the congregation, saying, 3Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4the land which Yahweh struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have livestock. 5They said, If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; don’t bring us over the Jordan. 6Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brothers go to the war, and shall you sit here? 7Why discourage you the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which Yahweh has given them? 8Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the land. 9For when they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which Yahweh had given them. 10Yahweh’s anger was kindled in that day, and he swore, saying, 11Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have wholly followed Yahweh. 13Yahweh’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in the sight of Yahweh, was consumed. 14Behold, you are risen up in your fathers’ place, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of Yahweh toward Israel. 15For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people. 16They came near to him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones: 17but we ourselves will be ready armed to go before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. 19For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side of the Jordan eastward. 20Moses said to them, If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves to go before Yahweh to the war, 21and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before Yahweh, until he has driven out his enemies from before him, 22and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before Yahweh. 23But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out. 24Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which has proceeded out of your mouth. 25The children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, Your servants will do as my lord commands. 26Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock, shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before Yahweh to battle, as my lord says. 28So Moses gave charge concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29Moses said to them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over the Jordan, every man who is armed to battle, before Yahweh, and the land shall be subdued before you; then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: 30but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. 31The children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As Yahweh has said to your servants, so will we do. 32We will pass over armed before Yahweh into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan. 33Moses gave to them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, according to the cities of it with their borders, even the cities of the land round about. 34The children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35and Atrothshophan, and Jazer, and Jogbehah, 36and Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran: fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37The children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, 38and Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah: and they gave other names to the cities which they built. 39The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein. 40Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he lived therein. 41Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the towns of it, and called them Havvoth Jair. 42Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages of it, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

Chapter 33

1These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. 3They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them: on their gods also Yahweh executed judgments. 5The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth. 6They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon: and they encamped before Migdol. 8They traveled from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah. 9They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there. 10They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea. 11They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 12They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 13They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 14They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink. 15They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah. 17They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth. 18They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah. 19They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez. 20They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah. 21They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah. 22They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah. 23They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher. 24They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah. 25They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth. 26They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath. 27They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah. 28They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah. 29They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah. 30They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth. 31They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan. 32They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad. 33They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah. 34They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah. 35They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber. 36They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (the same is Kadesh). 37They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. 38Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month. 39Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor. 40The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah. 42They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. 43They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth. 44They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab. 45They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad. 46They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim. 47They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 49They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab. 50Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 51Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places: 53and you shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for to you have I given the land to possess it. 54You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall you inherit. 55But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those who you let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land in which you dwell. 56It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.

Chapter 34

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2Command the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to the borders of it), 3then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward; 4and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh Barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon; 5and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. 6For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border of it: this shall be your west border. 7This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor; 8from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad; 9and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border. 10You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; 11and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward; 12and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to the borders of it round about. 13Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe; 14for the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their fathers’ houses, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers’ houses, have received, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received, their inheritance: 15the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise. 16Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. 18You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance. 19These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20Of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22Of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23Of the children of Joseph: of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24Of the tribe of the children of Ephraim a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25Of the tribe of the children of Zebulun a prince, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26Of the tribe of the children of Issachar a prince, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28Of the tribe of the children of Naphtali a prince, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. 29These are they whom Yahweh commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Chapter 35

1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and suburbs for the cities round about them shall you give to the Levites. 3The cities shall they have to dwell in; and their suburbs shall be for their livestock, and for their substance, and for all their animals. 4The suburbs of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits round about. 5You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the midst. This shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. 6The cities which you shall give to the Levites, they shall be the six cities of refuge, which you shall give for the manslayer to flee to: and besides them you shall give forty-two cities. 7All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities; them shall you give with their suburbs. 8Concerning the cities which you shall give of the possession of the children of Israel, from the many you shall take many; and from the few you shall take few: everyone according to his inheritance which he inherits shall give of his cities to the Levites. 9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 10Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11then you shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly may flee there. 12The cities shall be to you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer not die, until he stands before the congregation for judgment. 13The cities which you shall give shall be for you six cities of refuge. 14You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities shall you give in the land of Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. 15For the children of Israel, and for the stranger and for the foreigner living among them, shall these six cities be for refuge; that everyone who kills any person unwittingly may flee there. 16But if he struck him with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17If he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18Or if he struck him with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death: when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20If he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, 21or in enmity struck him with his hand, so that he died; he who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him. 22But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled on him anything without lying in wait, 23or with any stone, by which a man may die, not seeing him, and cast it on him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; 24then the congregation shall judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; 25and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, where he was fled: and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. 26But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, where he flees, 27and the avenger of blood find him outside of the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kill the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood, 28because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession. 29These things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 30Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die. 31Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death. 32You shall take no ransom for him who is fled to his city of refuge, that he may come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. 33So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him who shed it. 34You shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell: for I, Yahweh, dwell in the midst of the children of Israel.

Chapter 36

1The heads of the fathers’ houses of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spoke before Moses, and before the princes, the heads of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel: 2and they said, Yahweh commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by Yahweh to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. 3If they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. 4When the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong: so will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers. 5Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of Yahweh, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks right. 6This is the thing which Yahweh does command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them be married to whom they think best; only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married. 7So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave everyone to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8Every daughter, who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers. 9So shall no inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; for the tribes of the children of Israel shall cleave everyone to his own inheritance. 10Even as Yahweh commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: 11for Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to their father’s brothers’ sons. 12They were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. 13These are the commandments and the ordinances which Yahweh commanded by Moses to the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Deuteronomy

Chapter 1

1These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah over against Suph, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. 3It happened in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that Yahweh had given him in commandment to them; 4after 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. 5Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, 6Yahweh our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying, You have lived long enough in this mountain: 7turn, and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all the places near there, in the Arabah, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the South, and by the seashore, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their seed after them. 9I spoke to you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10Yahweh your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day as the stars of the sky for multitude. 11Yahweh, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as he has promised you! 12How can I myself alone bear your encumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 13Take wise men of understanding and well known according to your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. 14You answered me, and said, The thing which you have spoken is good for us to do. 15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to your tribes. 16I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the foreigner who is living with him. 17You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it. 18I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do. 19We traveled from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw, by the way to the hill country of the Amorites, as Yahweh our God commanded us; and we came to Kadesh Barnea. 20I said to you, You are come to the hill country of the Amorites, which Yahweh our God gives to us. 21Behold, Yahweh your God has set the land before you: go up, take possession, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you; don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed. 22You came near to me everyone of you, and said, Let us send men before us, that they may search the land for us, and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up, and the cities to which we shall come. 23The thing pleased me well; and I took twelve men of you, one man for every tribe: 24and they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. 25They took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which Yahweh our God gives to us. 26Yet you wouldn’t go up, but rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your God: 27and you murmured in your tents, and said, Because Yahweh hated us, he has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28Where are we going up? our brothers have made our heart to melt, saying, The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to the sky; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there. 29Then I said to you, Don’t dread, neither be afraid of them. 30Yahweh your God who goes before you, he will fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31and in the wilderness, where you have seen how that Yahweh your God bore you, as a man does bear his son, in all the way that you went, until you came to this place. 32Yet in this thing you didn’t believe Yahweh your God, 33who went before you in the way, to seek you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to show you by what way you should go, and in the cloud by day. 34Yahweh heard the voice of your words, and was angry, and swore, saying, 35Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see the good land, which I swore to give to your fathers, 36save Caleb the son of Jephunneh: he shall see it; and to him will I give the land that he has trodden on, and to his children, because he has wholly followed Yahweh. 37Also Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, saying, You also shall not go in there: 38Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there: encourage you him; for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39Moreover your little ones, whom you said should be a prey, and your children, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there, and to them will I give it, and they shall possess it. 40But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea. 41Then you answered and said to me, We have sinned against Yahweh, we will go up and fight, according to all that Yahweh our God commanded us. You girded on every man his weapons of war, and were forward to go up into the hill country. 42Yahweh said to me, Tell them, Don’t go up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest you be struck before your enemies. 43So I spoke to you, and you didn’t listen; but you rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh, and were presumptuous, and went up into the hill country. 44The Amorites, who lived in that hill country, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and beat you down in Seir, even to Hormah. 45You returned and wept before Yahweh; but Yahweh didn’t listen to your voice, nor gave ear to you. 46So you abode in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you abode there.

Chapter 2

1Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as Yahweh spoke to me; and we compassed Mount Seir many days. 2Yahweh spoke to me, saying, 3You have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. 4Command you the people, saying, You are to pass through the border of your brothers the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you: take good heed to yourselves therefore; 5don’t contend with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on; because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession. 6You shall purchase food of them for money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink. 7For Yahweh your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand; he has known your walking through this great wilderness: these forty years Yahweh your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing. 8So we passed by from our brothers the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, from the way of the Arabah from Elath and from Ezion Geber. We turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. 9Yahweh said to me, Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you of his land for a possession; because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession. 10(The Emim lived therein before, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim: 11these also are accounted Rephaim, as the Anakim; but the Moabites call them Emim. 12The Horites also lived in Seir before, but the children of Esau succeeded them; and they destroyed them from before them, and lived in their place; as Israel did to the land of his possession, which Yahweh gave to them.) 13Now rise up, and get you over the brook Zered. We went over the brook Zered. 14The days in which we came from Kadesh Barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, were thirty-eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the midst of the camp, as Yahweh swore to them. 15Moreover the hand of Yahweh was against them, to destroy them from the midst of the camp, until they were consumed. 16So it happened, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, 17that Yahweh spoke to me, saying, 18You are this day to pass over Ar, the border of Moab: 19and when you come near over against the children of Ammon, don’t bother them, nor contend with them; for I will not give you of the land of the children of Ammon for a possession; because I have given it to the children of Lot for a possession. 20(That also is accounted a land of Rephaim: Rephaim lived therein before; but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, 21a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim; but Yahweh destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in their place; 22as he did for the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in their place even to this day: 23and the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and lived in their place.) 24Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon: behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. 25This day will I 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. 26I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 27Let me pass through your land: I will go along by the highway, I will turn neither to the right hand nor to the left. 28You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only let me pass through on my feet, 29as the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, and the Moabites who dwell in Ar, did to me; until I shall pass over the Jordan into the land which Yahweh our God gives us. 30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for Yahweh your God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into your hand, as at this day. 31Yahweh said to me, Behold, I have begun to deliver up Sihon and his land before you: begin to possess, that you may inherit his land. 32Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. 33Yahweh our God delivered him up before us; and we struck him, and his sons, and all his people. 34We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones; we left none remaining: 35only the livestock we took for a prey to ourselves, with the spoil of the cities which we had taken. 36From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us; Yahweh our God delivered up all before us: 37only to the land of the children of Ammon you didn’t come near; all the side of the river Jabbok, and the cities of the hill country, and wherever Yahweh our God forbade us.

Chapter 3

1Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 2Yahweh said to me, Don’t fear him; for I have delivered him, and all his people, and his land, into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon. 3So Yahweh our God delivered into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we struck him until none was left to him remaining. 4We took all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we didn’t take from them; sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars; besides the unwalled towns a great many. 6We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. 7But all the livestock, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves. 8We took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon; 9(which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion, and the Amorites call it Senir;) 10all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 11(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 the length of it, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.) 12This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead, and the cities of it, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites: 13and the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, gave I to the half-tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, even all Bashan. (The same is called the land of Rephaim. 14Jair the son of Manasseh took all the region of Argob, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and called them, even Bashan, after his own name, Havvoth Jair, to this day.) 15I gave Gilead to Machir. 16To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the valley of the Arnon, the middle of the valley, and the border of it, even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 17the Arabah also, and the Jordan and the border of it, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah eastward. 18I commanded you at that time, saying, Yahweh your God has given you this land to possess it: you shall pass over armed before your brothers the children of Israel, all the men of valor. 19But your wives, and your little ones, and your livestock, (I know that you have much livestock), shall abide in your cities which I have given you, 20until Yahweh give rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which Yahweh your God gives them beyond the Jordan: then shall you return every man to his possession, which I have given you. 21I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Your eyes have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to these two kings: so shall Yahweh do to all the kingdoms where you go over. 22You shall not fear them; for Yahweh your God, he it is who fights for you. 23I begged Yahweh at that time, saying, 24Lord Yahweh, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand: for what god is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your mighty acts? 25Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26But Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, and didn’t listen to me; and Yahweh said to me, Let it suffice you; speak no more to me of this matter. 27Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes: for you shall not go over this Jordan. 28But charge 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. 29So we abode in the valley over against Beth Peor.

Chapter 4

1Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you. 2You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God which I command you. 3Your eyes have seen what Yahweh did because of Baal Peor; for all the men who followed Baal Peor, Yahweh your God has destroyed them from the midst of you. 4But you who did cleave to Yahweh your God are alive everyone of you this day. 5Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Yahweh my God commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land where you go in to possess it. 6Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7For what great nation is there, that has a god so near to them, as Yahweh our God is whenever we call on him? 8What great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 9Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children; 10the day that you stood before Yahweh your God in Horeb, when Yahweh said to me, Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children. 11You came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12Yahweh spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; only you heard a voice. 13He declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments; and he wrote them on two tables of stone. 14Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it. 15Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire. 16Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, 18the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth; 19and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky. 20But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as at this day. 21Furthermore Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance: 22but I must die in this land, I must not go over the Jordan; but you shall go over, and possess that good land. 23Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he made with you, and make you an engraved image in the form of anything which Yahweh your God has forbidden you. 24For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. 25When you shall father children, and children’s children, and you shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make an engraved image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, to provoke him to anger; 26I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over the Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days on it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where Yahweh shall lead you away. 28There you shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30When you are in oppression, and all these things are come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God, and listen to his voice: 31for Yahweh your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them. 32For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been any such thing as this great thing is, or has been heard like it? 33Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? 34Or has God tried to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that Yahweh your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35To you it was shown, that you might know that Yahweh he is God; there is none else besides him. 36Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. 37Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt; 38to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as at this day. 39Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that Yahweh he is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else. 40You shall keep his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh your God gives you, forever. 41Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise; 42that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unawares, and didn’t hate him in time past; and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live: 43namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. 44This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel: 45these are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke to the children of Israel, when they came forth out of Egypt, 46beyond the Jordan, in the valley over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck, when they came forth out of Egypt. 47They took his land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise; 48from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, even to Mount Sion (the same is Hermon), 49and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.

Chapter 5

1Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and observe to do them. 2Yahweh our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3Yahweh didn’t make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. 4Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the midst of the fire, 5(I stood between Yahweh and you at that time, to show you the word of Yahweh: for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn’t go up onto the mountain;) saying, 6“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 7You shall have no other gods before me.

8“You shall not make an engraved image for yourself, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 9you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me; 10and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

11“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain: for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

12“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you. 13Six days shall you labor, and do all your work; 14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16“Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

17“You shall not murder.

18“Neither shall you commit adultery.

19“Neither shall you steal.

20“Neither shall you give false testimony against your neighbor.

21“Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife; neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

22These words Yahweh spoke to all your assembly on the mountain out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me. 23It happened, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 24and you said, Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God does speak with man, and he lives. 25Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of Yahweh our God any more, then we shall die. 26For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27Go you near, and hear all that Yahweh our God shall say: and speak you to us all that Yahweh our God shall speak to you; and we will hear it, and do it. 28Yahweh heard the voice of your words, when you spoke to me; and Yahweh said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to you: they have well said all that they have spoken. 29Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever! 30Go tell them, Return you to your tents. 31But as for you, stand you here by me, and I will speak to you all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it. 32You shall observe to do therefore as Yahweh your God has commanded you: you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33You shall walk in all the way which Yahweh your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

Chapter 6

1Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it; 2that you might fear Yahweh your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son’s son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged. 3Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: 5and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart; 7and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 9You shall write them on the door posts of your house, and on your gates. 10It shall be, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn’t build, 11and houses full of all good things, which you didn’t fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn’t plant, and you shall eat and be full; 12then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 13You shall fear Yahweh your God; and him shall you serve, and shall swear by his name. 14You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are round about you; 15for Yahweh your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. 16You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted him in Massah. 17You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of Yahweh; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, 19to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has spoken. 20When your son asks you in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh our God has commanded you? 21then you shall tell your son, We were Pharaoh’s bondservants in Egypt: and Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22and Yahweh showed great and awesome signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes; 23and he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore to our fathers. 24Yahweh commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Yahweh our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day. 25It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us.

Chapter 7

1When Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before you, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than you; 2and when Yahweh your God shall deliver them up before you, and you shall strike them; then you shall utterly destroy them: you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them; 3neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, nor his daughter shall you take to your son. 4For he will turn away your son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and he will destroy you quickly. 5But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their engraved images with fire. 6For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God: Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7Yahweh didn’t set his love on you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples: 8but because Yahweh loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9Know therefore that Yahweh your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations, 10and repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him who hates him, he will repay him to his face. 11You shall therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day, to do them. 12It shall happen, because you listen to these ordinances, and keep and do them, that Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers: 13and he will love you, and bless you, and multiply you; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your livestock and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you. 14You shall be blessed above all peoples: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your livestock. 15Yahweh will take away from you all sickness; and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, he will put on you, but will lay them on all those who hate you. 16You shall consume all the peoples who Yahweh your God shall deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them: neither shall you serve their gods; for that will be a snare to you. 17If you shall say in your heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? 18you shall not be afraid of them: you shall well remember what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh, and to all Egypt; 19the great trials which your eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which Yahweh your God brought you out: so shall Yahweh your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20Moreover Yahweh your God will send the hornet among them, until those who are left, and hide themselves, perish from before you. 21You shall not be scared of them; for Yahweh your God is in the midst of you, a great and awesome God. 22Yahweh your God will cast out those nations before you by little and little: you may not consume them at once, lest the animals of the field increase on you. 23But Yahweh your God will deliver them up before you, and will confuse them with a great confusion, until they be destroyed. 24He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name to perish from under the sky: there shall no man be able to stand before you, until you have destroyed them. 25The engraved images of their gods shall you burn with fire: you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it to you, lest you be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God. 26You shall not bring an abomination into your house, and become a devoted thing like it: you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.

Chapter 8

1All the commandment which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers. 2You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. 3He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live. 4Your clothing didn’t grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years. 5You shall consider in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so Yahweh your God chastens you. 6You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. 7For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills; 8a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey; 9a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper. 10You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you. 11Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you this day: 12lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and lived therein; 13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14then your heart be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; 15who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint; 16who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn’t know; that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end: 17and lest you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth. 18But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as at this day. 19It shall be, if you shall forget Yahweh your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so shall you perish; because you wouldn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.

Chapter 9

1Hear, Israel: you are to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to the sky, 2a 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? 3Know therefore this day, that Yahweh 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 shall you drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as Yahweh has spoken to you. 4Don’t speak in your heart, after that Yahweh your God has thrust them out from before you, saying, For my righteousness Yahweh has brought me in to possess this land; whereas for the wickedness of these nations Yahweh does drive them out from before you. 5Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Yahweh your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 6Know therefore, that Yahweh your God doesn’t give you this good land to possess it for your righteousness; for you are a stiff-necked people. 7Remember, don’t forget, how you provoked Yahweh your God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that you went forth out of the land of Egypt, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against Yahweh. 8Also in Horeb you provoked Yahweh to wrath, and Yahweh was angry with you to destroy you. 9When I was gone up onto the mountain to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which Yahweh made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water. 10Yahweh delivered to me the two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which Yahweh spoke with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. 11It came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Yahweh gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. 12Yahweh said to me, Arise, get you down quickly from hence; for your people whom you have brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they have quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image. 13Furthermore Yahweh spoke to me, saying, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people: 14let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under the sky; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they. 15So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands. 16I looked, and behold, you had sinned against Yahweh your God; you had made you a molten calf: you had turned aside quickly out of the way which Yahweh had commanded you. 17I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. 18I fell down before Yahweh, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water; because of all your sin which you sinned, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. 19For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, with which Yahweh was angry against you to destroy you. But Yahweh listened to me that time also. 20Yahweh was very angry with Aaron to destroy him: and I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. 21I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust: and I cast the dust of it into the brook that descended out of the mountain. 22At Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth Hattaavah, you provoked Yahweh to wrath. 23When Yahweh sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then you rebelled against the commandment of Yahweh your God, and you didn’t believe him, nor listen to his voice. 24You have been rebellious against Yahweh from the day that I knew you. 25So I fell down before Yahweh the forty days and forty nights that I fell down, because Yahweh had said he would destroy you. 26I prayed to Yahweh, and said, Lord Yahweh, don’t destroy your people and your inheritance, that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; don’t look to the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin, 28lest the land whence you brought us out say, Because Yahweh 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. 29Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.

Chapter 10

1At that time Yahweh said to me, Hew you two tables of stone like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood. 2I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark. 3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tables in my hand. 4He wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Yahweh gave them to me. 5I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me. 6(The children of Israel traveled from Beeroth Bene Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his place. 7From there they traveled to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water. 8At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day. 9Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh your God spoke to him.) 10I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and Yahweh listened to me that time also; Yahweh would not destroy you. 11Yahweh said to me, Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them. 12Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good? 14Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein. 15Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day. 16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. 17For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t regard persons, nor takes reward. 18He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing. 19Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. 20You shall fear Yahweh your God; him shall you serve; and to him shall you cleave, and by his name shall you swear. 21He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen. 22Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

Chapter 11

1Therefore you shall love Yahweh your God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his ordinances, and his commandments, always. 2Know you this day: for I don’t speak with your children who have not known, and who have not seen the chastisement of Yahweh your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his outstretched arm, 3and his signs, and his works, which he did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and to all his land; 4and what he did to 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 after you, and how Yahweh has destroyed them to this day; 5and what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place; 6and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel: 7but your eyes have seen all the great work of Yahweh which he did. 8Therefore shall you keep all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, where you go over to possess it; 9and that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give to them and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10For the land, where you go in to possess it, isn’t as the land of Egypt, from whence you came out, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs; 11but the land, where you go over to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinks water of the rain of the sky, 12a land which Yahweh your God cares for: the eyes of Yahweh your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year. 13It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, and your new wine, and your oil. 15I will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full. 16Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17and the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and he shut up the sky, so that there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield its fruit; and you perish quickly from off the good land which Yahweh gives you. 18Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 19You shall teach them your children, talking of them, when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20You shall write them on the door posts of your house, and on your gates; 21that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth. 22For if you shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave to him; 23then will Yahweh drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves. 24Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even to the hinder sea shall be your border. 25There shall no man be able to stand before you: Yahweh your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread on, as he has spoken to you. 26Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: 27the blessing, if you shall listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day; 28and the curse, if you shall not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known. 29It shall happen, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal. 30Aren’t they beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who dwell in the Arabah, over against Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? 31For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and you shall possess it, and dwell therein. 32You shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you this day.

Chapter 12

1These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live on the earth. 2You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree: 3and you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods; and you shall destroy their name out of that place. 4You shall not do so to Yahweh your God. 5But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even to his habitation shall you seek, and there you shall come; 6and there you shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the wave offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock: 7and there you shall eat before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you. 8You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatever is right in his own eyes; 9for you haven’t yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which Yahweh your God gives you. 10But when you go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety; 11then it shall happen that to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there, there shall you bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the wave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which you vow to Yahweh. 12You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you, and your sons, and your daughters, and your male servants, and your female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 13Take heed to yourself that you don’t offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; 14but in the place which Yahweh shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you. 15Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you: the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart. 16Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water. 17You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your freewill offerings, nor the wave offering of your hand; 18but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to. 19Take heed to yourself that you don’t forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land. 20When Yahweh your God shall enlarge your border, as he has promised you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh, because your soul desires to eat flesh; you may eat flesh, after all the desire of your soul. 21If the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to put his name there, be too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates, after all the desire of your soul. 22Even as the gazelle and as the hart is eaten, so you shall eat of it: the unclean and the clean may eat of it alike. 23Only be sure that you don’t eat the blood: for the blood is the life; and you shall not eat the life with the flesh. 24You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the earth as water. 25You shall not eat it; that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, when you shall do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh. 26Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take, and go to the place which Yahweh shall choose: 27and you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of Yahweh your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of Yahweh your God; and you shall eat the flesh. 28Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh your God. 29When Yahweh your God shall cut off the nations from before you, where you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them, and dwell in their land; 30take heed to yourself that you not be ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before you; and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31You shall not do so to Yahweh your God: for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hates, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods. 32Whatever thing I command you, that shall you observe to do: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Chapter 13

1If there arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give you a sign or a wonder, 2and the sign or the wonder come to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them; 3you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your God proves you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4You shall walk after Yahweh your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cleave to him. 5That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk in. So shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.

6If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 7of the gods of the peoples who are round about you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; 8you shall not consent to him, nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him: 9but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 10You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 11All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more such wickedness as this is in the midst of you.

12If you shall hear tell concerning one of your cities, which Yahweh your God gives you to dwell there, saying, 13Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which you have not known; 14then shall you inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in the midst of you, 15you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein and the livestock of it, with the edge of the sword. 16You shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street of it, and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil of it every whit, to Yahweh your God: and it shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 17There shall cleave nothing of the devoted thing to your hand; that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers; 18when you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep all his commandments which I command you this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

Chapter 14

1You are the children of Yahweh your God: you shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth. 3You shall not eat any abominable thing. 4These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, 5the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the ibex, and the antelope, and the chamois. 6Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof cloven in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, that may you eat. 7Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof cloven: the camel, and the hare, and the rabbit; because they chew the cud but don’t part the hoof, they are unclean to you. 8The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you: of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. 9These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales may you eat; 10and whatever doesn’t have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean to you. 11Of all clean birds you may eat. 12But these are they of which you shall not eat: the eagle, and the vulture, and the ospray, 13and the red kite, and the falcon, and the kite after its kind, 14and every raven after its kind, 15and the ostrich, and the owl, and the seagull, and the hawk after its kind, 16the little owl, and the great owl, and the horned owl, 17and the pelican, and the vulture, and the cormorant, 18and the stork, and the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat. 19All winged creeping things are unclean to you: they shall not be eaten. 20Of all clean birds you may eat. 21You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself: you may give it to the foreigner living among you who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner: for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk. 22You shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes forth from the field year by year. 23You shall eat before Yahweh your God, in the place which he shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. 24If the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, because the place is too far from you, which Yahweh your God shall choose, to set his name there, when Yahweh your God shall bless you; 25then shall you turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: 26and you shall bestow the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27The Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him; for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28At the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: 29and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Chapter 15

1At the end of every seven years you shall make a release. 2This is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Yahweh’s release has been proclaimed. 3Of a foreigner you may exact it: but whatever of your is with your brother your hand shall release. 4However there shall be no poor with you; (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it;) 5if only you diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you this day. 6For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you: and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. 7If there be with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; 8but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants. 9Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. 10You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. 11For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land. 12If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you, and serve you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty: 14you shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; as Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today. 16It shall be, if he tell you, I will not go out from you; because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you; 17then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise. 18It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do. 19All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify to Yahweh your God: you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household. 21If it have any blemish, as if it be lame or blind, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. 22You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. 23Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground as water.

Chapter 16

1Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to Yahweh your God; for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night. 2You shall sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh your God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which Yahweh shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there. 3You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shall you eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for you came forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that you may remember the day when you came forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4There shall be no yeast seen with you in all your borders seven days; neither shall any of the flesh, which you sacrifice the first day at even, remain all night until the morning. 5You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you; 6but at the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt. 7You shall roast and eat it in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: and you shall turn in the morning, and go to your tents. 8Six days you shall eat unleavened bread; and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to Yahweh your God; you shall do no work therein. 9Seven weeks shall you number to you: from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain shall you begin to number seven weeks. 10You shall keep the feast of weeks to Yahweh your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give, according as Yahweh your God blesses you: 11and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are in the midst of you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there. 12You shall remember that you were a bondservant in Egypt: and you shall observe and do these statutes. 13You shall keep the feast of tents seven days, after that you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your winepress: 14and you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male servant, and your female servant, and the Levite, and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates. 15Seven days shall you keep a feast to Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh shall choose; because Yahweh your God will bless you in all your increase, and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful. 16Three times in a year shall all your males appear before Yahweh your God in the place which he shall choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tents; and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty: 17every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you. 18Judges and officers shall you make you in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 19You shall not wrest justice: you shall not respect persons; neither shall you take a bribe; for a bribe does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 20That which is altogether just shall you follow, that you may live, and inherit the land which Yahweh your God gives you. 21You shall not plant you an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of Yahweh your God, which you shall make you. 22Neither shall you set yourself up a pillar; which Yahweh your God hates.

Chapter 17

1You shall not sacrifice to Yahweh your God an ox, or a sheep, in which is a blemish, or anything evil; for that is an abomination to Yahweh your God. 2If there be found in the midst of you, within any of your gates which Yahweh your God gives you, man or woman, who does that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, in transgressing his covenant, 3and has gone and served other gods, and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the army of the sky, which I have not commanded; 4and it be told you, and you have heard of it, then shall you inquire diligently; and behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel, 5then shall you bring forth that man or that woman, who has done this evil thing, to your gates, even the man or the woman; and you shall stone them to death with stones. 6At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he who is to die be put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. 7The hand of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from the midst of you. 8If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then shall you arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose; 9and you shall come to the priests the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days: and you shall inquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment. 10You shall do according to the tenor of the sentence which they shall show you from that place which Yahweh shall choose; and you shall observe to do according to all that they shall teach you: 11according to the tenor of the law which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left. 12The man who does presumptuously, in not listening to the priest who stands to minister there before Yahweh your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die: and you shall put away the evil from Israel. 13All the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously. 14When you are come to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and shall possess it, and shall dwell therein, and shall say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me; 15you shall surely set him king over you, whom Yahweh your God shall choose: one from among your brothers shall you set king over you; you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; because Yahweh has said to you, You shall henceforth return no more that way. 17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 18It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Yahweh his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; 20that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Chapter 18

1The priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and his inheritance. 2They shall have no inheritance among their brothers: Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them. 3This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 4The first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, shall you give him. 5For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, him and his sons for ever. 6If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he lives as a foreigner, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose; 7then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh. 8They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which comes of the sale of his patrimony. 9When you are come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh: and because of these abominations Yahweh your God does drive them out from before you. 13You shall be perfect with Yahweh your God. 14For these nations, that you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice sorcery, and to diviners; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do. 15Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me; to him you shall listen; 16according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die. 17Yahweh said to me, They have well said that which they have spoken. 18I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20But the prophet, who shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. 21If you say in your heart, How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken? 22when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.

Chapter 19

1When Yahweh your God shall cut off the nations, whose land Yahweh your God gives you, and you succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses; 2you shall set apart three cities for you in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it. 3You shall prepare you the way, and divide the borders of your land, which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee there. 4This is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee there and live: whoever kills his neighbor unawares, and didn’t hate him in time past; 5as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetches a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle, and lights on his neighbor, so that he dies; he shall flee to one of these cities and live: 6lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he didn’t hate him in time past. 7Therefore I command you, saying, You shall set apart three cities for you. 8If Yahweh your God enlarge your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and give you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers; 9if you shall keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you this day, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shall you add three cities more for you, besides these three: 10that innocent blood not be shed in the midst of your land, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, and so blood be on you. 11But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and strike him mortally so that he dies, and he flee into one of these cities; 12then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you. 14You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit, in the land that Yahweh your God gives you to possess it. 15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established. 16If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing, 17then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who shall be in those days; 18and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother; 19then shall you do to him, as he had thought to do to his brother: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you. 20Those who remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of you. 21Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Chapter 20

1When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, and a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 2It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people, 3and shall tell them, Hear, Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: don’t let your heart faint; don’t be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them; 4for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. 5The officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used the fruit of it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit of it. 7What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her. 8The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return to his house, lest his brother’s heart melt as his heart. 9It shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people. 10When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it. 11It shall be, if it make you answer of peace, and open to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found therein shall become tributary to you, and shall serve you. 12If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it: 13and when Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword: 14but the women, and the little ones, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil of it, shall you take for a prey to yourself; and you shall eat the spoil of your enemies, which Yahweh your God has given you. 15Thus shall you do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations. 16But of the cities of these peoples, that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes; 17but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as Yahweh your God has commanded you; 18that they not teach you to do after all their abominations, which they have done to their gods; so would you sin against Yahweh your God. 19When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy the trees of it by wielding an axe against them; for you may eat of them, and you shall not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of you? 20Only the trees of which you know that they are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down; and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it fall.

Chapter 21

1If one be found slain in the land which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it, lying in the field, and it isn’t known who has struck him; 2then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure to the cities which are round about him who is slain: 3and it shall be, that the city which is nearest to the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hasn’t been worked with, and which has not drawn in the yoke; 4and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. 5The priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them Yahweh your God has chosen to minister to him, and to bless in the name of Yahweh; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be. 6All the elders of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; 7and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. 8Forgive, Yahweh, your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and don’t allow innocent blood to remain in the midst of your people Israel. The blood shall be forgiven them. 9So shall you put away the innocent blood from the midst of you, when you shall do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh. 10When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and Yahweh your God delivers them into your hands, and you carry them away captive, 11and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you have a desire to her, and would take her to you as wife; 12then you shall bring her home to your house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 13and she shall put the clothing of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in your house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that you shall go in to her, and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. 14It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she will; but you shall not sell her at all for money, you shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her. 15If a man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers who was hated; 16then it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn before the son of the hated, who is the firstborn: 17but 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. 18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, who will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not listen to them; 19then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out to the elders of his city, and to the gate of his place; 20and they shall tell the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21All the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 22If a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and you hang him on a tree; 23his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him the same day; for he who is hanged is accursed of God; that you don’t defile your land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance.

Chapter 22

1You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide yourself from them: you shall surely bring them again to your brother. 2If your brother isn’t near to you, or if you don’t know him, then you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall be with you until your brother seek after it, and you shall restore it to him. 3So shall you do with his donkey; and so shall you do with his garment; and so shall you do with every lost thing of your brother’s, which he has lost, and you have found: you may not hide yourself. 4You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide yourself from them: you shall surely help him to lift them up again. 5A woman shall not wear men’s clothing, neither shall a man put on women’s clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh your God. 6If a bird’s nest chance to be before you in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the hen sitting on the young, or on the eggs, you shall not take the hen with the young: 7you shall surely let the hen go, but the young you may take to yourself; that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days. 8When you build a new house, then you shall make a battlement for your roof, that you don’t bring blood on your house, if any man fall from there. 9You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole fruit be forfeited, the seed which you have sown, and the increase of the vineyard. 10You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11You shall not wear a mixed stuff, wool and linen together. 12You shall make you fringes on the four borders of your cloak, with which you cover yourself. 13If any man take a wife, and go in to her, and hate her, 14and lay shameful things to her charge, and bring up an evil name on her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came near to her, I didn’t find in her the tokens of virginity; 15then shall the father of the young lady, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the young lady’s virginity to the elders of the city in the gate; 16and the young lady’s father shall tell the elders, I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he hates her; 17and behold, he has laid shameful things to her charge, saying, I didn’t find in your daughter the tokens of virginity; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter’s virginity. They shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. 18The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him; 19and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has brought up an evil name on a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 20But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady; 21then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father’s house: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you. 22If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman: so shall you put away the evil from Israel. 23If there be a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 24then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor’s wife: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you. 25But if the man find the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her; then the man only who lay with her shall die: 26but to the lady you shall do nothing; there is in the lady no sin worthy of death: for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and kills him, even so is this matter; 27for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was none to save her. 28If a man find a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29then the man who lay with her shall give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her; he may not put her away all his days. 30A man shall not take his father’s wife, and shall not uncover his father’s skirt.

Chapter 23

1He who is wounded in the stones, or has his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh. 2A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of Yahweh. 3An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Yahweh; even to the tenth generation shall none belonging to them enter into the assembly of Yahweh forever: 4because they didn’t meet you with bread and with water in the way, when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam; but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you. 6You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever. 7You shall not abhor an Edomite; for he is your brother: you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land. 8The children of the third generation who are born to them shall enter into the assembly of Yahweh. 9When you go forth in camp against your enemies, then you shall keep you from every evil thing. 10If there be among you any man, who is not clean by reason of that which happens him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 11but it shall be, when evening comes on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down, he shall come within the camp. 12You shall have a place also outside of the camp, where you shall go forth abroad: 13and you shall have a paddle among your weapons; and it shall be, when you sit down abroad, you shall dig therewith, and shall turn back and cover that which comes from you: 14for Yahweh your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you. 15You shall not deliver to his master a servant who is escaped from his master to you: 16he shall dwell with you, in the midst of you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best: you shall not oppress him. 17There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow: for even both these are an abomination to Yahweh your God. 19You shall not lend on interest to your brother; interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest: 20to a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it. 21When you shall vow a vow to Yahweh your God, you shall not be slack to pay it: for Yahweh your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. 22But if you shall forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in you. 23That which is gone out of your lips you shall observe and do; according as you have vowed to Yahweh your God, a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth. 24When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat of grapes your fill at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your vessel. 25When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not move a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.

Chapter 24

1When a man takes a wife, and marries her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorce, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2When she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3If the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorce, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be his wife; 4her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Yahweh: and you shall not cause the land to sin, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance. 5When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out in the army, neither shall he be charged with any business: he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken. 6No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he takes a man’s life to pledge. 7If a man be found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deal with him as a slave, or sell him; then that thief shall die: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of you. 8Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that you observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so you shall observe to do. 9Remember what Yahweh your God did to Miriam, by the way as you came forth out of Egypt. 10When you do lend your neighbor any manner of loan, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. 11You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you do lend shall bring forth the pledge outside to you. 12If he be a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge; 13you shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment, and bless you: and it shall be righteousness to you before Yahweh your God. 14You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he be of your brothers, or of your foreigners who are in your land within your gates: 15in his day you shall give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor, and sets his heart on it: lest he cry against you to Yahweh, and it be sin to you. 16The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. 17You shall not wrest the justice due to the foreigner, or to the fatherless, nor take the widow’s clothing to pledge; 18but you shall remember that you were a bondservant in Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you there: therefore I command you to do this thing. 19When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgot a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it: it shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it after you: it shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt: therefore I command you to do this thing.

Chapter 25

1If there be a controversy between men, and they come to judgment, and the judges judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked; 2and it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number. 3Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then your brother should seem vile to you. 4You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain. 5If brothers dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her to him as wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6It shall be, that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel. 7If the man doesn’t want to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me. 8Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him: and if he stand, and say, I don’t want to take her; 9then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house. 10His name shall be called in Israel, The house of him who has his shoe untied. 11When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him who strikes him, and puts forth her hand, and takes him by the secrets; 12then you shall cut off her hand, your eye shall have no pity. 13You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small. 14You shall not have in your house diverse measures, a great and a small. 15A perfect and just weight shall you have; a perfect and just measure shall you have: that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. 16For all who do such things, even all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Yahweh your God. 17Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came forth out of Egypt; 18how he met you by the way, and struck the hindmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn’t fear God. 19Therefore it shall be, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky; you shall not forget.

Chapter 26

1It shall be, when you are come in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and dwell therein, 2that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that Yahweh your God gives you; and you shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there. 3You shall come to the priest who shall be in those days, and tell him, I profess this day to Yahweh your God, that I am come to the land which Yahweh swore to our fathers to give us. 4The priest shall take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before the altar of Yahweh your God. 5You shall answer and say before Yahweh your God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father; and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6The Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage: 7and we cried to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and Yahweh heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression; 8and Yahweh brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terror, and with signs, and with wonders; 9and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, Yahweh, have given me. You shall set it down before Yahweh your God, and worship before Yahweh your God. 11You shall rejoice in all the good which Yahweh your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is in the midst of you. 12When you have made an end of tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled. 13You shall say before Yahweh your God, I have put away the holy things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me: I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them: 14I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I put away of it, being unclean, nor given of it for the dead: I have listened to the voice of Yahweh my God; I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. 16This day Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul. 17You have declared Yahweh this day to be your God, and that you would walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and listen to his voice: 18and Yahweh has declared you this day to be a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments; 19and to make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as he has spoken.

Chapter 27

1Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandment which I command you this day. 2It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and plaster them with plaster: 3and you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you are passed over; that you may go in to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4It shall be, when you are passed over the Jordan, that you shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster. 5There shall you build an altar to Yahweh your God, an altar of stones: you shall lift up no iron tool on them. 6You shall build the altar of Yahweh your God of uncut stones; and you shall offer burnt offerings thereon to Yahweh your God: 7and you shall sacrifice peace offerings, and shall eat there; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God. 8You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly. 9Moses and the priests the Levites spoke to all Israel, saying, Keep silence, and listen, Israel: this day you are become the people of Yahweh your God. 10You shall therefore obey the voice of Yahweh your God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command you this day. 11Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 12These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you are passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin. 13These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14The Levites shall answer, and tell all the men of Israel with a loud voice, 15Cursed be the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to Yahweh, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret. All the people shall answer and say, Amen. 16Cursed be he who sets light by his father or his mother. All the people shall say, Amen. 17Cursed be he who removes his neighbor’s landmark. All the people shall say, Amen. 18Cursed be he who makes the blind to wander out of the way. All the people shall say, Amen. 19Cursed be he who wrests the justice due to the foreigner, fatherless, and widow. All the people shall say, Amen. 20Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s skirt. All the people shall say, Amen. 21Cursed be he who lies with any manner of animal. All the people shall say, Amen. 22Cursed be he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. All the people shall say, Amen. 23Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. All the people shall say, Amen. 24Cursed be he who strikes his neighbor in secret. All the people shall say, Amen. 25Cursed be he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person. All the people shall say, Amen. 26Cursed be he who doesn’t confirm the words of this law to do them. All the people shall say, Amen.

Chapter 28

1It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that Yahweh your God will set you on high above all the nations of the earth: 2and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 3Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your animals, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock. 5Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading trough. 6Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 7Yahweh will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you: they shall come out against you one way, and shall flee before you seven ways. 8Yahweh will command the blessing on you in your barns, and in all that you put your hand to; and he will bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. 9Yahweh will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you; if you shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways. 10All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Yahweh; and they shall be afraid of you. 11Yahweh will make you plenteous for good, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give you. 12Yahweh will open to you his good treasure in the sky, to give the rain of your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand: and you shall lend to many nations, and you shall not borrow. 13Yahweh will make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; if you shall listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day, to observe and to do them, 14and shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you. 16Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. 17Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading trough. 18Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock. 19Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. 20Yahweh will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me. 21Yahweh will make the pestilence cleave to you, until he has consumed you from off the land, where you go in to possess it. 22Yahweh will strike you with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish. 23Your sky that is over your head shall be brass, and the earth that is under you shall be iron. 24Yahweh will make the rain of your land powder and dust: from the sky shall it come down on you, until you are destroyed. 25Yahweh will cause you to be struck before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them, and shall flee seven ways before them: and you shall be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth. 26Your dead body shall be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away. 27Yahweh will strike you with the boil of Egypt, and with the tumors, and with the scurvy, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed. 28Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart; 29and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways: and you shall be only oppressed and robbed always, and there shall be none to save you. 30You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not use the fruit of it. 31Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat of it: your donkey shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you: your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have none to save you. 32Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people; and your eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day: and there shall be nothing in the power of your hand. 33The fruit of your ground, and all your labors, shall a nation which you don’t know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always; 34so that you shall be mad for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 35Yahweh will strike you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore boil, of which you can not be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 36Yahweh will bring you, and your king whom you shall set over you, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers; and there shall you serve other gods, wood and stone. 37You shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples where Yahweh shall lead you away. 38You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worm shall eat them. 40You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olive shall cast its fruit. 41You shall father sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. 42All your trees and the fruit of your ground shall the locust possess. 43The foreigner who is in the midst of you shall mount up above you higher and higher; and you shall come down lower and lower. 44He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him: he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. 45All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you: 46and they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever. 47Because you didn’t serve Yahweh your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; 48therefore shall you serve your enemies whom Yahweh shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he have destroyed you. 49Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose language you shall not understand; 50a nation of fierce facial expressions, that shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young, 51and shall eat the fruit of your livestock, and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed; that also shall not leave you grain, new wine, or oil, the increase of your livestock, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish. 52They shall besiege you in all your gates, until your high and fortified walls come down, in which you trusted, throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land, which Yahweh your God has given you. 53You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you. 54The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children whom he has remaining; 55so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat, because he has nothing left him, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in all your gates. 56The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 57and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates. 58If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YAHWEH YOUR GOD; 59then Yahweh will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60He will bring on you again all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cleave to you. 61Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will Yahweh bring on you, until you are destroyed. 62You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of the sky for multitude; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 63It shall happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go in to possess it. 64Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone. 65Among these nations shall you find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot: but Yahweh will give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; 66and your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you shall fear night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. 67In the morning you shall say, Would it were even! and at even you shall say, Would it were morning! for the fear of your heart which you shall fear, and for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 68Yahweh will bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way of which I said to you, You shall see it no more again: and there you shall sell yourselves to your enemies for bondservants and for bondmaids, and no man shall buy you.

Chapter 29

1These are the words of the covenant which Yahweh commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. 2Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, You have seen all that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land; 3the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders: 4but Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day. 5I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes have not grown old on you, and your shoe has not grown old on your foot. 6You have not eaten bread, neither have you drunk wine or strong drink; that you may know that I am Yahweh your God. 7When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us to battle, and we struck them: 8and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. 10You stand this day all of you before Yahweh your God; your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, 11your little ones, your wives, and your foreigner who is in the midst of your camps, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water; 12that you may enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God, and into his oath, which Yahweh your God makes with you this day; 13that he may establish you this day to himself for a people, and that he may be to you a God, as he spoke to you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, 15but with him who stands here with us this day before Yahweh our God, and also with him who is not here with us this day 16(for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed; 17and you have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them); 18lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood; 19and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry. 20Yahweh will not pardon him, but then the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky. 21Yahweh will set him apart to evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law. 22The generation to come, your children who shall rise up after you, and the foreigner who shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses with which Yahweh has made it sick; 23and that the whole land of it is sulfur, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Yahweh overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 24even all the nations shall say, Why has Yahweh done thus to this land? what means the heat of this great anger? 25Then men shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, 26and went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods that they didn’t know, and that he had not given to them: 27therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against this land, to bring on it all the curse that is written in this book; 28and Yahweh rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as at this day. 29The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Chapter 30

1It shall happen, when all these things are come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, where Yahweh your God has driven you, 2and shall return to Yahweh your God, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul; 3that then Yahweh your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, where Yahweh your God has scattered you. 4If any of your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there will Yahweh your God gather you, and from there he will bring you back: 5and Yahweh your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers. 6Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live. 7Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8You shall return and obey the voice of Yahweh, and do all his commandments which I command you this day. 9Yahweh your God will make you plenteous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good: for Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers; 10if you shall obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul. 11For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it? 14But the word is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it. 15Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil; 16in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it. 17But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18I denounce to you this day, that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land, where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it. 19I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed; 20to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Chapter 31

1Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2He said to them, I am one hundred twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: and Yahweh has said to me, You shall not go over this Jordan. 3Yahweh your God, he will go over before you; he will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before you, as Yahweh has spoken. 4Yahweh will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land; whom he destroyed. 5Yahweh will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you. 6Be strong and of good courage, don’t be afraid, nor be scared of them: for Yahweh your God, he it is who does go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you. 7Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage: for you shall go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8Yahweh, he it is who does go before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you, neither forsake you: don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed. 9Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel. 10Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tents, 11when all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh your God in the place which he shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and your foreigner who is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; 13and that their children, who have not known, may hear, and learn to fear Yahweh your God, as long as you live in the land where you go over the Jordan to possess it. 14Yahweh said to Moses, Behold, your days approach that you must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may give him a charge. Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tent of meeting. 15Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud: and the pillar of cloud stood over the door of the Tent. 16Yahweh said to Moses, Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers; and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. 17Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, Haven’t these evils come on us because our God is not among us? 18I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evil which they shall have worked, in that they are turned to other gods. 19Now therefore write you this song for you, and teach you it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. 20For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant. 21It shall happen, when many evils and troubles are come on them, that this song shall testify before them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I swore. 22So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel. 23He gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them: and I will be with you. 24It happened, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 25that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, saying, 26Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. 27For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against Yahweh; and how much more after my death? 28Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 29For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will happen to you in the latter days; because you will do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. 30Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were finished.

Chapter 32

1Give ear, you heavens, and I will speak;

Let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

2My doctrine shall drop as the rain;

My speech shall condense as the dew,

As the small rain on the tender grass,

As the showers on the herb.

3For I will proclaim the name of Yahweh:

Ascribe greatness to our God.

4The Rock, his work is perfect;

For all his ways are justice:

A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,

Just and right is he.

5They have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish;

They are a perverse and crooked generation.

6Do you thus requite Yahweh,

Foolish people and unwise?

Isn’t he your father who has bought you?

He has made you, and established you.

7Remember the days of old,

Consider the years of many generations:

Ask your father, and he will show you;

Your elders, and they will tell you.

8When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,

When he separated the children of men,

He set the bounds of the peoples

According to the number of the children of Israel.

9For Yahweh’s portion is his people;

Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

10He found him in a desert land,

In the waste howling wilderness;

He compassed him about, he cared for him,

He kept him as the apple of his eye.

11As 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.

12Yahweh alone did lead him,

There was no foreign god with him.

13He made him ride on the high places of the earth,

He ate the increase of the field;

He made him to suck honey out of the rock,

Oil out of the flinty rock;

14Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock,

With fat of lambs,

Rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats,

With the finest of the wheat;

Of the blood of the grape you drank wine.

15But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked:

You have grown fat, you are grown thick, you are become sleek;

Then he forsook God who made him,

Lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

16They moved him to jealousy with strange gods;

With abominations provoked they him to anger.

17They sacrificed to demons, which were no God,

To gods that they didn’t know,

To new gods that came up of late,

Which your fathers didn’t dread.

18Of the Rock that became your father, you are unmindful,

Have forgotten God who gave you birth.

19Yahweh saw it, and abhorred them,

Because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.

20He said, I will hide my face from them,

I will see what their end shall be:

For they are a very perverse generation,

Children in whom is no faithfulness.

21They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God;

They have provoked me to anger with their vanities:

I will move them to jealousy with those who are not a people;

I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

22For a fire is kindled in my anger,

Burns to the lowest Sheol,

Devours the earth with its increase,

Sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

23I will heap evils on them;

I will spend my arrows on them:

24They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat

Bitter destruction;

The teeth of animals will I send on them,

With the poison of crawling things of the dust.

25Outside shall the sword bereave,

In the chambers terror;

It shall destroy both young man and virgin,

The suckling with the man of gray hairs.

26I said, I would scatter them afar,

I would make the memory of them to cease from among men;

27Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy,

Lest their adversaries should judge wrongly,

Lest they should say, Our hand is exalted,

Yahweh has not done all this.

28For they are a nation void of counsel,

There is no understanding in them.

29Oh that they were wise, that they understood this,

That they would consider their latter end!

30How should one chase a thousand,

Two put ten thousand to flight,

Except their Rock had sold them,

Yahweh had delivered them up?

31For their rock is not as our Rock,

Even our enemies themselves being judges.

32For their vine is of the vine of Sodom,

Of the fields of Gomorrah:

Their grapes are grapes of gall,

Their clusters are bitter:

33Their wine is the poison of serpents,

The cruel venom of asps.

34Isn’t this laid up in store with me,

Sealed up among my treasures?

35Vengeance is mine, and recompense,

At the time when their foot shall slide:

For the day of their calamity is at hand,

The things that are to come on them shall make haste.

36For Yahweh will judge his people,

Repent himself for his servants;

When he sees that their power is gone,

There is none remaining, shut up or left at large.

37He will say, Where are their gods,

The rock in which they took refuge;

38Which ate the fat of their sacrifices,

And drank the wine of their drink offering?

Let them rise up and help you,

Let them be your protection.

39See now that I, even I, am he,

There is no god with me:

I kill, and I make alive;

I wound, and I heal;

There is none who can deliver out of my hand.

40For I lift up my hand to heaven,

And say, As I live forever,

41If I whet my glittering sword,

My hand take hold on judgment;

I will render vengeance to my adversaries,

Will recompense those who hate me.

42I will make my arrows drunk with blood,

My sword shall devour flesh;

With the blood of the slain and the captives,

From the head of the leaders of the enemy.

43Rejoice, you nations, with his people:

For he will avenge the blood of his servants,

Will render vengeance to his adversaries,

Will make expiation for his land, for his people.

44Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and Joshua the son of Nun. 45Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel; 46He said to them, Set your heart to all the words which I testify to you this day, which you shall command your children to observe to do, even all the words of this law. 47For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing you shall prolong your days in the land, where you go over the Jordan to possess it. 48Yahweh spoke to Moses that same day, saying, 49Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and see the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession; 50and die on the mountain where you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people: 51because you trespassed against me in the midst of the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah of Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you didn’t sanctify me in the midst of the children of Israel. 52For you shall see the land before you; but you shall not go there into the land which I give the children of Israel.

Chapter 33

1This is the blessing, with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2He said,

Yahweh came from Sinai,

Rose from Seir to them;

He shined forth from Mount Paran,

He came from the ten thousands of holy ones:

At his right hand was a fiery law for them.

3Yes, he loves the people;

All his saints are in your hand:

They sat down at your feet;

Everyone shall receive of your words.

4Moses commanded us a law,

An inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.

5He was king in Jeshurun,

When the heads of the people were gathered,

All the tribes of Israel together.

6Let Reuben live, and not die;

Nor let his men be few.

7This is the blessing of Judah: and he said,

Hear, Yahweh, 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.

8Of Levi he said,

Your Thummim and your Urim are with your godly one,

Whom you did prove at Massah,

With whom you did strive at the waters of Meribah;

9Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him;

Neither did he acknowledge his brothers,

Nor knew he his own children:

For they have observed your word,

Keep your covenant.

10They shall teach Jacob your ordinances,

Israel your law:

They shall put incense before you,

Whole burnt offering on your altar.

11Bless, Yahweh, his substance,

Accept the work of his hands:

Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him,

Of those who hate him, that they not rise again.

12Of Benjamin he said,

The beloved of Yahweh shall dwell in safety by him;

He covers him all the day long,

He dwells between his shoulders.

13Of Joseph he said,

Blessed of Yahweh be his land,

For the precious things of the heavens, for the dew,

For the deep that couches beneath,

14For the precious things of the fruits of the sun,

For the precious things of the growth of the moons,

15For the chief things of the ancient mountains,

For the precious things of the everlasting hills,

16For the precious things of the earth and the fullness of it,

The good will of him who lived in the bush.

Let the blessing come on the head of Joseph,

On the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

17The firstborn of his herd, majesty is his;

His horns are the horns of the wild ox:

With them he shall push the peoples all of them, even the ends of the earth:

They are the ten thousands of Ephraim,

They are the thousands of Manasseh.

18Of Zebulun he said,

Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out;

Issachar, in your tents.

19They shall call the peoples to the mountain;

There shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness:

For they shall suck the abundance of the seas,

The hidden treasures of the sand.

20Of Gad he said,

Blessed be he who enlarges Gad:

He dwells as a lioness,

Tears the arm, yes, the crown of the head.

21He provided the first part for himself,

For there was the lawgiver’s portion reserved;

He came with the heads of the people;

He executed the righteousness of Yahweh,

His ordinances with Israel.

22Of Dan he said,

Dan is a lion’s cub,

That leaps forth from Bashan.

23Of Naphtali he said,

Naphtali, satisfied with favor,

Full with the blessing of Yahweh,

Possess you the west and the south.

24Of Asher he said,

Blessed be Asher with children;

Let him be acceptable to his brothers,

Let him dip his foot in oil.

25Your bars shall be iron and brass;

As your days, so shall your strength be.

26There is none like God, Jeshurun,

Who rides on the heavens for your help,

In his excellency on the skies.

27The eternal God is your dwelling place,

Underneath are the everlasting arms.

He thrust out the enemy from before you,

Said, Destroy.

28Israel dwells in safety,

The fountain of Jacob alone,

In a land of grain and new wine;

Yes, his heavens drop down dew.

29Happy are you, Israel:

Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh,

The shield of your help,

The sword of your excellency!

Your enemies shall submit themselves to you;

You shall tread on their high places.

Chapter 34

1Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. Yahweh showed him all the land of Gilead, to Dan, 2and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the hinder sea, 3and the South, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, to Zoar. 4Yahweh said to him, This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I will give it to your seed: I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there. 5So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahweh. 6He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor: but no man knows of his tomb to this day. 7Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. 8The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended. 9Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands on him: and the children of Israel listened to him, and did as Yahweh commanded Moses. 10There has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face, 11in all the signs and the wonders, which Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, 12and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great terror, which Moses worked in the sight of all Israel.

Joshua

Chapter 1

1Now it happened after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, 2Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread on, to you have I given it, as I spoke to Moses. 4From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. 5There shall not any man 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. 6Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong and very courageous, 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. 8This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate thereon day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. 9Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed: for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go. 10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare food; for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it. 12To the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, spoke Joshua, saying, 13Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, Yahweh your God gives you rest, and will give you this land. 14Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock, shall abide in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them; 15until Yahweh has given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they also have possessed the land which Yahweh your God gives them: then you shall return to the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise. 16They answered Joshua, saying, All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17According as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you: only Yahweh your God be with you, as he was with Moses. 18Whoever he be who shall rebel against your commandment, and shall not listen to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of good courage.

Chapter 2

1Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and Jericho. They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and lay there. 2It was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in here tonight of the children of Israel to search out the land. 3The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who are come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to search out all the land. 4The woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know whence they were: 5and it happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; where the men went I don’t know: pursue after them quickly; for you will overtake them. 6But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof. 7The men pursued after them the way to the Jordan to the fords: and as soon as those who pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. 8Before they were laid down, she came up to them on the roof; 9and she said to the men, I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you is fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11As soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. 12Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true token; 13and that you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death. 14The men said to her, Our life for yours, if you don’t utter this our business; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you. 15Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall. 16She said to them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers light on you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may you go your way. 17The men said to her, We will be guiltless of this your oath which you have made us to swear. 18Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down by: and you shall gather to you into the house your father, and your mother, and your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19It shall be, that whoever shall go out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his head, and we shall be guiltless: and whoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be on him. 20But if you utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you have made us to swear. 21She said, According to your words, so be it. She sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. 22They went, and came to the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but didn’t find them. 23Then the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun; and they told him all that had happened to them. 24They said to Joshua, Truly Yahweh has delivered into our hands all the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt away before us.

Chapter 3

1Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel; and they lodged there before they passed over. 2It happened after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3and they commanded the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall remove from your place, and go after it. 4Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: don’t come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way heretofore. 5Joshua said to the people, Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders among you. 6Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. 7Yahweh said to Joshua, This day will I 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. 8You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When you are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan. 9Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come here, and hear the words of Yahweh your God. 10Joshua said, Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan. 12Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man. 13It shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap. 14It happened, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people; 15and when those who bore the ark were come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest), 16that 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 toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 17The priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan.

Chapter 4

1It happened, when all the nation were clean passed over the Jordan, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 2Take twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 3and command you them, saying, Take hence out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night. 4Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 5and Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; 6that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come, saying, What do you mean by these stones? 7then you shall tell them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever. 8The children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Yahweh spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day. 10For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Yahweh commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hurried and passed over. 11It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of Yahweh passed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people. 12The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them: 13about forty thousand ready armed for war passed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14On that day Yahweh magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life. 15Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 16Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan. 17Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of the Jordan. 18It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before. 19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho. 20Those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? 22Then you shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. 23For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you were passed over, as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over; 24that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Yahweh, that it is mighty; that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.

Chapter 5

1It happened, 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 that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. 2At that time Yahweh said to Joshua, Make you flint knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3Joshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4This is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: all the people who came forth out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came forth out of Egypt. 5For all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, they had not circumcised. 6For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, even the men of war who came forth out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh: to whom Yahweh swore that he wouldn’t let them see the land which Yahweh swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7Their children, whom he raised up in their place, them did Joshua circumcise: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. 8It happened, when they had done circumcising all the nation, that they abode in their places in the camp, until they were whole. 9Yahweh said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, to this day. 10The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal; and they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. 11They ate of the produce of the land on the next day after the Passover, unleavened cakes and parched grain, in the same day. 12The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. 13It happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went to him, and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries? 14He said, No; but I have come now as commander of Yahweh’s army. Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said to him, What says my lord to his servant? 15The prince of Yahweh’s army said to Joshua, Put off your shoe from off your foot; for the place whereon you stand is holy. Joshua did so.

Chapter 6

1Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2Yahweh said to Joshua, Behold, I have given into your hand Jericho, and the king of it, and the mighty men of valor. 3You shall compass the city, all the men of war, going about the city once. Thus shall you do six days. 4Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark: and the seventh day you shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him. 6Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of Yahweh. 7They said to the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let the armed men pass on before the ark of Yahweh. 8It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before Yahweh passed on, and blew the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them. 9The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rearward went after the ark, the priests blowing the trumpets as they went. 10Joshua commanded the people, saying, You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall you shout. 11So he caused the ark of Yahweh to compass the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 12Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Yahweh. 13The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; and the rearward came after the ark of Yahweh, the priests blowing the trumpets as they went. 14The second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. 15It happened on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on the day they compassed the city seven times. 16It happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout; for Yahweh has given you the city. 17The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein, to Yahweh: only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it. 19But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh: they shall come into the treasury of Yahweh. 20So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and it happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword. 22Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring out there the woman, and all that she has, as you swore to her. 23The young men the spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and all that she had; all her relatives also they brought out; and they set them outside of the camp of Israel. 24They burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein; only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of Yahweh. 25But Rahab the prostitute, and her father’s household, and all that she had, did Joshua save alive; and she lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26Joshua charged them with an oath at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before Yahweh, that rises up and builds this city Jericho: with the loss of his firstborn shall he lay the foundation of it, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. 27So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

Chapter 7

1But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against the children of Israel. 2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. The men went up and spied out Ai. 3They 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 they are but few. 4So there went up there of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5The men of Ai struck of them about thirty-six men; and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. 6Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 7Joshua said, Alas, Lord Yahweh, why have you at all brought this people over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan! 8Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will compass us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what will you do for your great name? 10Yahweh said to Joshua, Get you up; why are you thus fallen on your face? 11Israel has sinned; yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yes, they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also; and they have even put it among their own stuff. 12Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except you destroy the devoted thing from among you. 13Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, There is a devoted thing in the midst of you, Israel; you can not stand before your enemies, until you take away the devoted thing from among you. 14In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which Yahweh takes shall come near by families; and the family which Yahweh shall take shall come near by households; and the household which Yahweh shall take shall come near man by man. 15It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has; because he has transgressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he has done folly in Israel. 16So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 17and he brought near the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zerahites: and he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 18and he brought near his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19Joshua said to Achan, My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him; and tell me now what you have done; don’t hide it from me. 20Achan answered Joshua, and said, Of a truth I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21when I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylonian mantle, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 23They took them from the midst of the tent, and brought them to Joshua, and to all the children of Israel; and they laid them down before Yahweh. 24Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. 25Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? Yahweh shall trouble you this day. All Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones. 26They raised over him a great heap of stones, to this day; and Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.

Chapter 8

1Yahweh said to Joshua, Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai; behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land; 2You shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king: only the spoil of it, and the livestock of it, shall you take for a prey to yourselves: set you an ambush for the city behind it. 3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valor, and sent them forth by night. 4He commanded them, saying, Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; don’t go very far from the city, but be all ready: 5and I, and all the people who are with me, will approach to the city. It shall happen, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them; 6and they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: so we will flee before them; 7and you shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city: for Yahweh your God will deliver it into your hand. 8It shall be, when you have seized on the city, that you shall set the city on fire; according to the word of Yahweh shall you do: behold, I have commanded you. 9Joshua sent them forth; and they went to set up the ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10Joshua arose up early in the morning, and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 11All the people, even the men of war who were with him, went up, and drew near, and came before the city, and encamped on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between him and Ai. 12He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13So they set the people, even all the army who was on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. 14It happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that 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. 15Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. 17There was not a man left in Ai or Beth El, who didn’t go out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. 18Yahweh said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai; for I will give it into your hand. Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city. 19The ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and entered into the city, and took it; and they hurried and set the city on fire. 20When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. 21When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and killed the men of Ai. 22The others came forth out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape. 23The king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. 24It happened, when Israel had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned to Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25All that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. 26For Joshua didn’t draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took for prey to themselves, according to the word of Yahweh which he commanded Joshua. 28So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day. 29The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the evening: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, to this day. 30Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, 31as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones, on which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings to Yahweh, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote, in the presence of the children of Israel. 33All Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, as well the foreigner as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.

Chapter 9

1It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it; 2that they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up, 5and old and patched shoes on their feet, and old garments on them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become moldy. 6They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country: now therefore make you a covenant with us. 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, What if you dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you? 8They said to Joshua, We are your servants. Joshua said to them, Who are you? and from whence come you? 9They said to him, From a very far country your servants are come because of the name of Yahweh your God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, We are your servants: and now make you a covenant with us. 12This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and is become moldy: 13and these wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. 14The men took of their provision, and didn’t ask counsel at the mouth of Yahweh. 15Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore to them. 16It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17The children of Israel traveled, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes. 19But all the princes said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them. 21The princes said to them, Let them live: so they became wood cutters and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them. 22Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us? 23Now therefore you are cursed, and there shall never fail to be of you bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God. 24They answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25Now, behold, we are in your hand: as it seems good and right to you to do to us, do. 26So did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they didn’t kill them. 27That day Joshua made those wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place which he should choose.

Chapter 10

1Now it happened, when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men of it were mighty. 3Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4Come up to me, and help me, and let us strike Gibeon; for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it. 6The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Don’t slack your hand from your servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country are gathered together against us. 7So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8Yahweh said to Joshua, Don’t fear them: for I have delivered them into your hands; there shall not a man of them stand before you. 9Joshua therefore came on them suddenly; for he went up from Gilgal all the night. 10Yahweh confused them before Israel, and 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. 11It happened, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, that Yahweh cast down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel killed with the sword. 12Then spoke Joshua to Yahweh in the day when Yahweh delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel; and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand you still on Gibeon; You, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon. 13The 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 midst of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day. 14There was no day like that before it or after it, that Yahweh listened to the voice of a man: for Yahweh fought for Israel. 15Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. 16These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17It was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 18Joshua said, Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them: 19but don’t stay; pursue after your enemies, and strike the hindmost of them; don’t allow them to enter into their cities: for Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hand. 20It happened, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of killing them with a very great slaughter, until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth those five kings to me out of the cave. 23They did so, and brought forth those five kings to him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon. 24It happened, when they brought forth those kings to Joshua, that 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 the necks of them. 25Joshua said to them, Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage: for thus shall Yahweh do to all your enemies against whom you fight. 26Afterward Joshua struck them, and put them to death, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging on the trees until the evening. 27It happened at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, to this very day. 28Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it: he utterly destroyed them and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining; and he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. 29Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah: 30and Yahweh delivered it also, and the king of it, into the hand of Israel; and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining in it; and he did to the king of it as he had done to the king of Jericho. 31Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: 32and Yahweh delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel; and he took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him none remaining. 34Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it, and fought against it; 35and they took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword; and all the souls who were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. 36Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it: 37and they took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and the king of it, and all the cities of it, and all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were therein. 38Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it: 39and he took it, and the king of it, and all the cities of it; and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king of it; as he had done also to Libnah, and to the king of it. 40So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded. 41Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon. 42All these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

Chapter 11

1It happened, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 2and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, and in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west, 3to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpah. 4They went out, they and all their armies with them, much people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 5All these kings met together; and they came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel. 6Yahweh said to Joshua, Don’t be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: you shall hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. 7So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly, and fell on them. 8Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them, and chased them to great Sidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they struck them, until they left them none remaining. 9Joshua did to them as Yahweh bade him: he hamstrung their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. 10Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck the king of it with the sword: for Hazor before was the head of all those kingdoms. 11They struck all the souls who were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was none left who breathed: and he burnt Hazor with fire. 12All the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded. 13But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. 14All the spoil of these cities, and the livestock, the children of Israel took for a prey to themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any who breathed. 15As Yahweh commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua: and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that Yahweh commanded Moses. 16So Joshua took all that land, the hill country, and all the South, and all the land of Goshen, and the lowland, and the Arabah, and the hill country of Israel, and the lowland of the same; 17from Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and struck them, and put them to death. 18Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. 19There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: they took all in battle. 20For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses. 21Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel: Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. 22There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, did some remain. 23So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh spoke to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. The land had rest from war.

Chapter 12

1Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Israel struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah eastward: 2Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Jabbok, the border of the children of Ammon; 3and the Arabah to the sea of Chinneroth, eastward, and to the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beth Jeshimoth; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah: 4and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5and ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel struck them: and Moses the servant of Yahweh gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 7These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir; and Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions; 8in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; 10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; 13the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; 14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; 15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; 16the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; 17the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 18the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one; 19the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; 20the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; 21the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 22the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; 23the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one; 24the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.

Chapter 13

1Now Joshua was old and well stricken in years; and Yahweh said to him, You are old and well stricken in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed. 2This is the land that yet remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites; 3from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is reckoned to the Canaanites; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim, 4on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; 5and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad under Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath; 6all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians; them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only allot you it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. 7Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 8With him the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them: 9from Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba to Dibon; 10and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon; 11and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah; 12all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (the same was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for these did Moses strike, and drove them out. 13Nevertheless the children of Israel didn’t drive out the Geshurites, nor the Maacathites: but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day. 14Only to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance; the offerings of Yahweh, the God of Israel, made by fire are his inheritance, as he spoke to him. 15Moses gave to the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their families. 16Their border was from Aroer, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba; 17Heshbon, and all its cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth Baal, and Beth Baal Meon, 18and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, 19and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zereth Shahar in the mount of the valley, 20and Beth Peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth, 21and all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land. 22Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel kill with the sword among the rest of their slain. 23The border of the children of Reuben was the Jordan, and the border of it. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and the villages of it. 24Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad, according to their families. 25Their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is before Rabbah; 26and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir; 27and in the valley, Beth Haram, and Beth Nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the Jordan and the border of it, to the uttermost part of the sea of Chinnereth beyond the Jordan eastward. 28This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and the villages of it. 29Moses gave inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh: and it was for the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families. 30Their border was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities: 31and half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families. 32These are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward. 33But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance: Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

Chapter 14

1These are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them, 2by the lot of their inheritance, as Yahweh commanded by Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe. 3For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan: but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. 4For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: and they gave no portion to the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with the suburbs of it for their livestock and for their substance. 5As Yahweh commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did; and they divided the land. 6Then the children of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, You know the thing that Yahweh spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea. 7Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of Yahweh sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. 8Nevertheless my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed Yahweh my God. 9Moses swore on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed Yahweh my God. 10Now, behold, Yahweh has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness: and now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. 11As yet I am as strong this day as I as in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, and to go out and to come in. 12Now therefore give me this hill country, of which Yahweh spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and cities great and fortified: it may be that Yahweh will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as Yahweh spoke. 13Joshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day; because that he wholly followed Yahweh, the God of Israel. 15Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba; which Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. The land had rest from war.

Chapter 15

1The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south. 2Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks southward; 3and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh Barnea, and passed along by Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka; 4and it passed along to Azmon, and went out at the brook of Egypt; and the goings out of the border were at the sea: this shall be your south border. 5The east border was the Salt Sea, even to the end of the Jordan. The border of the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan; 6and the border went up to Beth Hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; 7and the border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river; and the border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and the goings out of it were at En Rogel; 8and the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite southward (the same is Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the uttermost part of the valley of Rephaim northward; 9and the border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (the same is Kiriath Jearim); 10and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (the same is Chesalon), and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed along by Timnah; 11and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea. 12The west border was to the great sea, and the border of it. This is the border of the children of Judah round about according to their families. 13To Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron). 14Caleb drove out there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15He went up there against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher. 16Caleb said, He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife. 17Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. 18It happened, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her donkey; and Caleb said, What would you? 19She said, Give me a blessing; for that you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. He gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. 20This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. 21The uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, 22and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 23and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 24Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, 25Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth, Hezron (the same is Hazor), 26Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, 27and Hazar Gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth Pelet, 28and Hazar Shual, and Beersheba, and Biziothiah, 29Baalah, and Iim, and Ezem, 30and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 31and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, 32and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages. 33In the lowland, Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah, 34and Zanoah, and En Gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 35Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 36and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages. 37Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal Gad, 38and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, 39Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 40and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Chitlish, 41and Gederoth, Beth Dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages. 42Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, 43and Iphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 44and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages. 45Ekron, with its towns and its villages; 46from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages. 47Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border of it. 48In the hill country, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 49and Dannah, and Kiriath Sannah (the same is Debir), 50and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 51and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages. 52Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan, 53and Janim, and Beth Tappuah, and Aphekah, 54and Humtah, and Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages. 55Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah, 56and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, 57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages. 58Halhul, Beth Zur, and Gedor, 59and Maarath, and Beth Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages. 60Kiriath Baal (the same is Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages. 61In the wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, and Secacah, 62and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En Gedi; six cities with their villages. 63As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn’t drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

Chapter 16

1The lot came out for the children of Joseph from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel; 2and it went out from Bethel to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth; 3and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, to the border of Beth Horon the lower, even to Gezer; and the goings out of it were at the sea. 4The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. 5The border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: the border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beth Horon the upper; 6and the border went out westward at Michmethath on the north; and the border turned about eastward to Taanath Shiloh, and passed along it on the east of Janoah; 7and it went down from Janoah to Ataroth, and to Naarah, and reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan. 8From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and the goings out of it were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families; 9together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. 10They didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and are become servants to do forced labor.

Chapter 17

1This was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph. As for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. 2So the lot was for the rest of the children of Manasseh according to their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families. 3But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4They came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers: therefore according to the commandment of Yahweh he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father. 5There fell ten parts to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan; 6because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh. 7The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem; and the border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah. 8The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim. 9The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook: these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh: and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and the goings out of it were at the sea: 10southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was his border; and they reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east. 11Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, even the three heights. 12Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 13It happened, when the children of Israel had grown strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and didn’t utterly drive them out. 14The children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, Why have you given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people, because hitherto Yahweh has blessed me? 15Joshua said to them, If you are a great people, go up to the forest, and cut down for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim; since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you. 16The children of Joseph said, The hill country is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are in Beth Shean and its towns, and they who are in the valley of Jezreel. 17Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, You are a great people, and have great power; you shall not have one lot only: 18but the hill country shall be yours; for though it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and the goings out of it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.

Chapter 18

1The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there: and the land was subdued before them. 2There remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet divided their inheritance. 3Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long are you slack to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you? 4Appoint for you three men of each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall arise, and walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; and they shall come to me. 5They shall divide it into seven portions: Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north. 6You shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God. 7For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of Yahweh is their inheritance: and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave them. 8The men arose, and went: and Joshua charged those who went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh in Shiloh. 9The men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven portions in a book; and they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh. 10Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions. 11The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward; and the goings out of it were at the wilderness of Beth Aven. 13The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (the same is Bethel), southward; and the border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beth Horon the lower. 14The border extended there, and turned about on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and the goings out of it were at Kiriath Baal (the same is Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter. 15The south quarter was from the uttermost part of Kiriath Jearim; and the border went out westward, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah; 16and the border went down to the uttermost part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel; 17and it extended northward, and went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim; and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; 18and it passed along to the side over against the Arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah; 19and the border passed along to the side of Beth Hoglah northward; and the goings out of the border were at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan: this was the south border. 20The Jordan was the border of it on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the borders of it round about, according to their families. 21Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth Hoglah, and Emek Keziz, 22and Beth Arabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel, 23and Avvim, and Parah, and Ophrah, 24and Chephar Ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba; twelve cities with their villages: 25Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, 26and Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, 27and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, 28and Zelah, Eleph, and the Jebusite (the same is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.

Chapter 19

1The second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Judah. 2They had for their inheritance Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah, 3and Hazar Shual, and Balah, and Ezem, 4and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, 5and Ziklag, and Beth Marcaboth, and Hazar Susah, 6and Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages: 7Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages: 8and all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. 9Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the midst of their inheritance. 10The third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families; and the border of their inheritance was to Sarid; 11and their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth; and it reached to the brook that is before Jokneam; 12and it turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrise to the border of Chisloth Tabor; and it went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia; 13and from there it passed along eastward to Gath Hepher, to Ethkazin; and it went out at Rimmon which stretches to Neah; 14and the border turned about it on the north to Hannathon; and the goings out of it were at the valley of Iphtah El; 15and Kattath, and Nahalal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages. 16This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages. 17The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families. 18Their border was to Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, 19and Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, 20and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Ebez, 21and Remeth, and Engannim, and En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez, 22and the border reached to Tabor, and Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh; and the goings out of their border were at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. 23This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages. 24The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 25Their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph, 26and Allammelech, and Amad, and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath; 27and it turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel; and it went out to Cabul on the left hand, 28and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon; 29and the border turned to Ramah, and to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah; and the goings out of it were at the sea by the region of Achzib; 30Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities with their villages. 31This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages. 32The sixth lot came out for the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 33Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adaminekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum; and the goings out of it were at the Jordan; 34and the border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok; and it reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrise. 35The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, 36and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, 37and Kedesh, and Edrei, and En Hazor, 38Iron, and Migdal El, Horem, and Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. 39This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages. 40The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. 41The border of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Irshemesh, 42and Shaalabbin, and Aijalon, and Ithlah, 43and Elon, and Timnah, and Ekron, 44and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, 45and Jehud, and Bene Berak, and Gath Rimmon, 46and Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border over against Joppa. 47The 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 father. 48This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages. 49So they made an end of distributing the land for inheritance by the borders of it; and the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun in the midst of them: 50according to the commandment of Yahweh they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and lived therein. 51These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before Yahweh, at the door of the tent of meeting. So they made an end of dividing the land.

Chapter 20

1Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 2Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Assign you the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses, 3that the manslayer who kills any person unwittingly and unawares may flee there: and they shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood. 4He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5If the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unawares, and didn’t hate him before. 6He shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the manslayer return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from whence he fled. 7They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. 9These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unwittingly might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

Chapter 21

1Then came near the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel; 2and they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, Yahweh commanded Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs of it for our livestock. 3The children of Israel gave to the Levites out of their inheritance, according to the commandment of Yahweh, these cities with their suburbs. 4The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of the Simeonites, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. 5The rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. 6The children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. 7The children of Merari according to their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 8The children of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as Yahweh commanded by Moses. 9They gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name: 10and they were for the children of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot. 11They gave them Kiriath Arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs of it round about it. 12But the fields of the city, and the villages of it, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13To the children of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Libnah with its suburbs, 14and Jattir with its suburbs, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs, 15and Holon with its suburbs, and Debir with its suburbs, 16and Ain with its suburbs, and Juttah with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes. 17Out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its suburbs, Geba with its suburbs, 18Anathoth with its suburbs, and Almon with its suburbs; four cities. 19All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 20The families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, even the rest of the children of Kohath, they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21They gave them Shechem with its suburbs in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Gezer with its suburbs, 22and Kibzaim with its suburbs, and Beth Horon with its suburbs; four cities. 23Out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its suburbs, Gibbethon with its suburbs, 24Aijalon with its suburbs, Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; four cities. 25Out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; two cities. 26All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kohath were ten with their suburbs. 27To the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be Eshterah with its suburbs; two cities. 28Out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs, 29Jarmuth with its suburbs, En Gannim with its suburbs; four cities. 30Out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its suburbs, Abdon with its suburbs, 31Helkath with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs; four cities. 32Out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Hammothdor with its suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs; three cities. 33All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 34To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, and Kartah with its suburbs, 35Dimnah with its suburbs, Nahalal with its suburbs; four cities. 36Out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its suburbs, and Jahaz with its suburbs, 37Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; four cities. 38Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs, 39Heshbon with its suburbs, Jazer with its suburbs; four cities in all. 40All these were the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities. 41All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their suburbs. 42These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus it was with all these cities. 43So Yahweh gave to Israel all the land which he swore to give to their fathers; and they possessed it, and lived therein. 44Yahweh gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore to their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45There failed not anything of any good thing which Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Chapter 22

1Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2and said to them, You have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you: 3you have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of Yahweh your God. 4Now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them: therefore now turn you, and get you to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan. 5Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. 6So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. 7Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but to the other half gave Joshua among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward; moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8and spoke to them, saying, Return with much wealth to your tents, and with very much livestock, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much clothing: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers. 9The children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. 10When they came to the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look on. 11The children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertains to the children of Israel. 12When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. 13The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were everyone of them head of their fathers’ houses among the thousands of Israel. 15They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16Thus says the whole congregation of Yahweh, What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Yahweh, in that you have built you an altar, to rebel this day against Yahweh? 17Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of Yahweh, 18that you must turn away this day from following Yahweh? and it will be, seeing you rebel today against Yahweh, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19However, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of Yahweh, in which Yahweh’s tent dwells, and take possession among us: but don’t rebel against Yahweh, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of Yahweh our God. 20Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity. 21Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel, 22The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, the Mighty One, God, Yahweh, he knows; and Israel he shall know: if it be in rebellion, or if in trespass against Yahweh (don’t save us this day), 23that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Yahweh; or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings thereon, let Yahweh himself require it; 24and if we have not rather out of carefulness done this, and of purpose, saying, In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel? 25for Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad; you have no portion in Yahweh: so might your children make our children cease from fearing Yahweh. 26Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 27but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of Yahweh before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not tell our children in time to come, You have no portion in Yahweh. 28Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so tell us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Yahweh, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. 29Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away this day from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tent. 30When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well. 31Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we know that Yahweh is in the midst of us, because you have not committed this trespass against Yahweh: now have you delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh. 32Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived. 34The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: For, said they, it is a witness between us that Yahweh is God.

Chapter 23

1It happened after many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years; 2that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and well stricken in years: 3and you have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations because of you; for Yahweh your God, he it is that has fought for you. 4Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea toward the going down of the sun. 5Yahweh your God, he will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke to you. 6Therefore be you very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left; 7that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them; 8but cleave to Yahweh your God, as you have done to this day. 9For Yahweh has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. 10One man of you shall chase a thousand; for Yahweh your God, he it is who fights for you, as he spoke to you. 11Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God. 12Else if you do at all go back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you; 13know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you. 14Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you; all are happen to you, not one thing has failed of it. 15It shall happen, that as all the good things are come on you of which Yahweh your God spoke to you, so will Yahweh bring on you all the evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you. 16When you disobey the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them; then will the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.

Chapter 24

1Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2Joshua said to all the people, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods. 3I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 4I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it: and Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 5I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did in the midst of it: and afterward I brought you out. 6I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Red Sea. 7When they cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt: and you lived in the wilderness many days. 8I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan: and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you possessed their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel: and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you; 10but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. 11You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand. 12I 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. 13I gave you a land whereon you had not labored, and cities which you didn’t build, and you dwell therein; of vineyards and olive groves which you didn’t plant do you eat. 14Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve you Yahweh. 15If it seem evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh. 16The people answered, Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods; 17for Yahweh our God, he it is who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed; 18and Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land: therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God. 19Joshua said to the people, You can’t serve Yahweh; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins. 20If you forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that he has done you good. 21The people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve Yahweh. 22Joshua said to the people, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen you Yahweh, to serve him. They said, We are witnesses. 23Now therefore put away, said he, the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 24The people said to Joshua, Yahweh our God will we serve, and to his voice will we listen. 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh. 27Joshua said to all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of Yahweh which he spoke to us: it shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God. 28So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance. 29It happened after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old. 30They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. 31Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had worked for Israel. 32The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money: and they became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. 33Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.

Judges

Chapter 1

1It happened after the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them? 2Yahweh said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. 3Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot. So Simeon went with him. 4Judah went up; and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they struck of them in Bezek ten thousand men. 5They found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek; and they fought against him, and they struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6But Adoni-Bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. 7Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their food under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. 8The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. 9Afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, and in the South, and in the lowland. 10Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba); and they struck Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. 11From there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (Now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.) 12Caleb said, He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife. 13Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. 14It happened, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her donkey; and Caleb said to her, What would you? 15She said to him, Give me a blessing; for that you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. 16The children of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people. 17Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah. 18Also Judah took Gaza with the border of it, and Ashkelon with the border of it, and Ekron with the border of it. 19Yahweh 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. 20They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out there the three sons of Anak. 21The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. 22The house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel; and Yahweh was with them. 23The house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.) 24The watchers saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said to him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you. 25He shown them the entrance into the city; and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go and all his family. 26The man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name of it Luz, which is the name of it to this day. 27Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor of Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 28It happened, when Israel had grown strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out. 29Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. 30Zebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor. 31Asher 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; 32but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out. 33Naphtali didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and of Beth Anath became subject to forced labor. 34The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country; for they would not allow them to come down to the valley; 35but 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 labor. 36The border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.

Chapter 2

1The angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you: 2and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars. But you have not listened to my voice: why have you done this? 3Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you. 4It happened, when the angel of Yahweh spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 5They called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there to Yahweh. 6Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land. 7The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel. 8Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old. 9They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. 10Also all that generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who didn’t know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for Israel. 11The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals; 12and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed themselves down to them: and they provoked Yahweh to anger. 13They forsook Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers who despoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. 15Wherever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them: and they were sore distressed. 16Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who despoiled them. 17Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they played the prostitute after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them: they turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Yahweh; but they didn’t do so. 18When Yahweh raised them up judges, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and vexed them. 19But it happened, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they didn’t cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way. 20The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not listened to my voice; 21I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died; 22that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Yahweh to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. 23So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Chapter 3

1Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it: 3namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. 4They were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Yahweh, which he commanded their fathers by Moses. 5The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: 6and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. 7The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and forgot Yahweh their God, and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years. 9When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10The Spirit of Yahweh came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim. 11The land had rest forty years. Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 12The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh. 13He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees. 14The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his clothing on his right thigh. 17He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab: now Eglon was a very fat man. 18When he had made an end of offering the tribute, he sent away the people who bore the tribute. 19But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. He said, Keep silence. All who stood by him went out from him. 20Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. He arose out of his seat. 21Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body: 22and the haft 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. 23Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. 24Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber. 25They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened them, and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26Ehud escaped while they waited, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped to Seirah. 27It happened, when he had come, that 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 before them. 28He said to them, Follow after me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. They went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow a man to pass over. 29They struck of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man. 30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. The land had rest eighty years. 31After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck of the Philistines six hundred men with an oxgoad: and he also saved Israel.

Chapter 4

1The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead. 2Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3The children of Israel cried to Yahweh: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. 4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5She lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, saying, Go and draw to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand. 8Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go. 9She said, I will surely go with you: notwithstanding, the journey that you take shall not be for your honor; for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 11Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh. 12They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor. 13Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon. 14Deborah said to Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand; hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15Yahweh confused Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet. 16But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army, to Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left. 17However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid. He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19He said to her, Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20He said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man does come and inquire of you, and say, Is there any man here? that you shall say, No. 21Then 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 swooned and died. 22Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek. He came to her; and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent peg was in his temples. 23So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Chapter 5

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

2For that the leaders took the lead in Israel,

For that the people offered themselves willingly,

Bless you Yahweh.

3Hear, you kings; give ear, you princes;

I, even I, will sing to Yahweh;

I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

4Yahweh, when you went forth out of Seir,

When you marched out of the field of Edom,

The earth trembled, the sky also dropped,

Yes, the clouds dropped water.

5The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh,

Even yon Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,

The travelers walked through byways.

7The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,

Until that I Deborah arose,

That I arose a mother in Israel.

8They chose new gods;

Then was war in the gates:

Was there a shield or spear seen

Among forty thousand in Israel?

9My heart is toward the governors of Israel,

Who offered themselves willingly among the people:

Bless you Yahweh.

10Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,

You who sit on rich carpets,

You who walk by the way.

11Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,

There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh,

Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.

Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.

12Awake, awake, Deborah;

Awake, awake, utter a song:

Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.

13Then came down a remnant of the nobles and the people;

Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.

14Out of Ephraim came down they whose root is in Amalek;

After you, Benjamin, among your peoples;

Out of Machir came down governors,

Out of Zebulun those who handle the marshal’s staff.

15The princes of Issachar were with Deborah;

As was Issachar, so was Barak;

Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet.

By the watercourses of Reuben

There were great resolves of heart.

16Why sat you among the sheepfolds,

To hear the whistling for the flocks?

At the watercourses of Reuben

There were great searchings of heart.

17Gilead abode beyond the Jordan:

Dan, why did he remain in ships?

Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,

Abode by his creeks.

18Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death,

Naphtali, on the high places of the field.

19The kings came and fought;

Then fought the kings of Canaan.

In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo:

They took no gain of money.

20From the sky the stars fought,

From their courses they fought against Sisera.

21The river Kishon swept them away,

That ancient river, the river Kishon.

My soul, march on with strength.

22Then did the horse hoofs stamp

By reason of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones.

23Curse you Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh.

Curse you bitterly the inhabitants of it,

Because they didn’t come to the help of Yahweh,

To the help of Yahweh against the mighty.

24Blessed above women shall Jael be,

The wife of Heber the Kenite;

Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

25He asked water, and she gave him milk;

She brought him butter in a lordly dish.

26She put her hand to the tent peg,

Her right hand to the workmen’s hammer;

With the hammer she struck Sisera, she struck through his head;

Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.

27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;

At her feet he bowed, he fell;

Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

28Through the window she looked forth, and cried,

The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice,

Why is his chariot so long in coming?

Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?

29Her wise ladies answered her,

Yes, she returned answer to herself,

30Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil?

A lady, two ladies to every man;

To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,

A spoil of dyed garments embroidered,

Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?

31So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh:

But let those who love him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might.

The land had rest forty years.

Chapter 6

1The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. 3So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them; 4and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, until you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey. 5For they came up with their livestock and their tents; they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it. 6Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to Yahweh. 7It happened, when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh because of Midian, 8that Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel: and he said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 9and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land; 10and I said to you, I am Yahweh your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not listened to my voice. 11The angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12The angel of Yahweh appeared to him, and said to him, Yahweh is with you, you mighty man of valor. 13Gideon said to him, Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then has all this happened to us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian. 14Yahweh looked at him, and said, Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent you? 15He said to him, Oh, Lord, with which shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. 16Yahweh said to him, Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man. 17He said to him, If now I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me. 18Please don’t go away, until I come to you, and bring out my present, and lay it before you. He said, I will wait until you come again. 19Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it. 20The angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth. He did so. 21Then the angel of Yahweh put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Yahweh departed out of his sight. 22Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Yahweh! because I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face. 23Yahweh said to him, Peace be to you; don’t be afraid: you shall not die. 24Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh, and called it Yahweh is Peace4444or, Yahweh Shalom: to this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 25It happened the same night, that Yahweh said to him, Take your father’s bull, even the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it; 26and build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down. 27Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken to him: and it happened, because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. 28When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built. 29They said one to another, Who has done this thing? When they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing. 30Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it. 31Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? he who will contend for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one has broken down his altar. 32Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar. 33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. 34But the Spirit of Yahweh came on Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him. 35He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. 36Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken, 37behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken. 38It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39Gideon said to God, Don’t let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once: Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew. 40God did so that night: for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Chapter 7

1Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2Yahweh said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me. 3Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead. There returned of the people twenty-two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4Yahweh said to Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down to the water, and I will try them for you there: and it shall be, that of whom I tell you, This shall go with you, the same shall go with you; and of whoever I tell you, This shall not go with you, the same shall not go. 5So he brought down the people to the water: and Yahweh said to Gideon, Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him shall you set by himself; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink. 6The number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water. 7Yahweh said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand; and let all the people go every man to his place. 8So the people took food in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the men of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9It happened the same night, that Yahweh said to him, Arise, get you down into the camp; for I have delivered it into your hand. 10But if you fear to go down, go you with Purah your servant down to the camp: 11and you shall hear what they say; and afterward shall your hands 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. 12The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude. 13When Gideon had come, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream; and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat. 14His fellow answered, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God has delivered Midian, and all the army. 15It was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation of it, that he worshiped; and he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise; for Yahweh has delivered into your hand the army of Midian. 16He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. 17He said to them, Look on me, and do likewise: and behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall you do. 18When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, For Yahweh and for Gideon. 19So Gideon, and the hundred men who were with him, came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. 20The three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they cried, The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon. 21They stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the army ran; and they shouted, and put them to flight. 22They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow, and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath. 23The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian. 24Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before them the waters, as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and took the waters as far as Beth Barah, even the Jordan. 25They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian: and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.

Chapter 8

1The men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you served us thus, that you didn’t call us, when you went to fight with Midian? They did chide with him sharply. 2He said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 3God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. 4Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing. 5He 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. 6The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army? 7Gideon said, Therefore when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered. 9He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. 10Now 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 twenty thousand men who drew sword. 11Gideon 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 was secure. 12Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army. 13Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres. 14He caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders of it, seventy-seven men. 15He came to the men of Succoth, and said, See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary? 16He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 17He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city. 18Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom you killed at Tabor? They answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother: as Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you. 20He said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth didn’t draw his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, 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. 22Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian. 23Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Yahweh shall rule over you. 24Gideon said to them, I would make a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his spoil. 26The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 27Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the prostitute after it there; and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house. 28So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon. 29Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body; for he had many wives. 31His concubine who was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. 32Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33It happened, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and played the prostitute after the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god. 34The children of Israel didn’t remember Yahweh their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side; 35neither shown they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.

Chapter 9

1Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him. 5He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us. 9But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees? 10The trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us. 11But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees? 12The trees said to the vine, Come you, and reign over us. 13The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees? 14Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us. 15The bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. 16Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands 17(for my father fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18and you are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother); 19if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice you in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother. 22Abimelech was prince over Israel three years. 23God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. 26Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. 27They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve you the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him? 29Would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. He said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come out. 30When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers are come to Shechem; and behold, they constrain the city to take part against you. 32Now therefore, up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field: 33and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and rush on the city; and 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. 34Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush. 36When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the tops of the mountains. Zebul said to him, You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37Gaal spoke again and said, Behold, there come people down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim. 38Then said Zebul to him, Where is now your mouth, that you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that you have despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them. 39Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate. 41Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43He took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city; He rose up against them, and struck them. 44Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field, and struck them. 45Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and killed the people who were therein: and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt. 46When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith. 47It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said to the people who were with him, What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done. 49All the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire on them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. 50Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and got them up to the roof of the tower. 52Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull. 54Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, A woman killed him. His young man thrust him through, and he died. 55When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place. 56Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers; 57and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Chapter 10

1After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. 3After him arose Jair, the Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years. 4He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5Jair died, and was buried in Kamon. 6The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook Yahweh, and didn’t serve him. 7The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon. 8They vexed and oppressed the children of Israel that year: eighteen years oppressed they all the children of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9The children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 10The children of Israel cried to Yahweh, saying, We have sinned against you, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals. 11Yahweh said to the children of Israel, Didn’t I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and you cried to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13Yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods: therefore I will save you no more. 14Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress. 15The children of Israel said to Yahweh, We have sinned: do you to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, we pray you, this day. 16They put away the foreign gods from among them, and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 17Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. The children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah. 18The people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

Chapter 11

1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a prostitute: and Gilead became the father of Jephthah. 2Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, You shall not inherit in our father’s house; for you are the son of another woman. 3Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and lived in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain fellows to Jephthah, and they went out with him. 4It happened after a while, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 5It was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob; 6and they said to Jephthah, Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 7Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Didn’t you hate me, and drive me out of my father’s house? and why are you come to me now when you are in distress? 8The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Therefore are we turned again to you now, that you may go with us, and fight with the children of Ammon; and you shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 9Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If you bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Yahweh deliver them before me, shall I be your head? 10The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Yahweh shall be witness between us; surely according to your word so will we do. 11Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them: and Jephthah spoke all his words before Yahweh in Mizpah. 12Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me, that you are come to me to fight against my land? 13The king of the children of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably. 14Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the children of Ammon; 15and he said to him, Thus says Jephthah: Israel didn’t take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon, 16but when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh; 17then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, Please let me pass through your land; but the king of Edom didn’t listen. In the same way, he sent to the king of Moab; but he would not: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 18Then they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon; but they didn’t come within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray you, through your land to my place. 20But Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 21Yahweh, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 22They possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan. 23So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should you possess them? 24Won’t you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever Yahweh our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess. 25Now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them? 26While Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years; why didn’t you recover them within that time? 27I therefore have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me: Yahweh, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. 28However the king of the children of Ammon didn’t listen to the words of Jephthah which he sent him. 29Then the Spirit of Yahweh came on Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over to the children of Ammon. 30Jephthah vowed a vow to Yahweh, and said, If you will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, 31then it shall be, that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. 32So Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Yahweh delivered them into his hand. 33He 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. 34Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35It happened, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you are one of those who trouble me; for I have opened my mouth to Yahweh, and I can’t go back. 36She said to him, My father, you have opened your mouth to Yahweh; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because Yahweh has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon. 37She said to her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions. 38He said, Go. He sent her away for two months: and she departed, she and her companions, and mourned her virginity on the mountains. 39It happened at the end of two months, that she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she was a virgin. It was a custom in Israel, 40that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

Chapter 12

1The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with you? we will burn your house on you with fire. 2Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn’t save me out of their hand. 3When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand: why then are you come up to me this day, to fight against me? 4Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, and in the midst of Manasseh. 5The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. It was so, that when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? If he said, No; 6then said they to him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it right: then they laid hold on him, and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time of Ephraim forty-two thousand. 7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9He had thirty sons; and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty daughters he brought in from abroad for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. 10Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem. 11After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 12Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. 13After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. 14He had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons, who rode on seventy donkey colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 15Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

Chapter 13

1The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh; and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 2There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and didn’t bear. 3The angel of Yahweh appeared to the woman, and said to her, See now, you are barren, and don’t bear; but you shall conceive, and bear a son. 4Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing: 5for, behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. 6Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome; and I didn’t ask him whence he was, neither did he tell me his name: 7but he said to me, Behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death. 8Then Manoah entreated Yahweh, and said, Oh, Lord, please let the man of God whom you did send come again to us, and teach us what we shall do to the child who shall be born. 9God listened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah, her husband, wasn’t with her. 10The woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said to him, Behold, the man has appeared to me, who came to me the other day. 11Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, Are you the man who spoke to the woman? He said, I am. 12Manoah said, Now let your words happen: what shall be the ordering of the child, and how shall we do to him? 13The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, Of all that I said to the woman let her beware. 14She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe. 15Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, I pray you, let us detain you, that we may make ready a kid for you. 16The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I won’t eat of your bread; and if you will make ready a burnt offering, you must offer it to Yahweh. For Manoah didn’t know that he was the angel of Yahweh. 17Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, What is your name, that when your words happen, we may honor you? 18The angel of Yahweh said to him, Why do you ask after my name, seeing it is wonderful? 19So Manoah took the kid with the meal offering, and offered it on the rock to Yahweh: and the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20For it happened, when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, that the angel of Yahweh ascended in the flame of the altar: and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground. 21But the angel of Yahweh did no more appear to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Yahweh. 22Manoah said to his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 23But his wife said to him, If Yahweh were pleased to kill us, he wouldn’t have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, neither would he have shown us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these. 24The woman bore a son, and named him Samson: and the child grew, and Yahweh blessed him. 25The Spirit of Yahweh began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Chapter 14

1Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 2He came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me as wife. 3Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? Samson said to his father, Get her for me; for she pleases me well. 4But his father and his mother didn’t know that it was of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel. 5Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and behold, a young lion roared against him. 6The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid; and he had nothing in his hand: but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7He went down, and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson well. 8After a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. 9He took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they ate: but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion. 10His father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11It happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. 12Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you: if you can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing; 13but if you can’t declare it to me, then shall you give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. They said to him, Put forth your riddle, that we may hear it. 14He said to them,

Out of the eater came forth food,

Out of the strong came forth sweetness.

They couldn’t in three days declare the riddle. 15It happened on the seventh day, that they said to Samson’s wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father’s house with fire: have you called us to impoverish us? is it not so? 16Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and don’t love me: you have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, and haven’t told it me. He said to her, Behold, I haven’t told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you? 17She wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it happened on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 18The men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? He said to them,

If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer,

You wouldn’t have found out my riddle.

19The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and struck thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of clothing to those who declared the riddle. His anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house. 20But Samson’s wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

Chapter 15

1But it happened after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in. 2Her father said, I most assuredly thought that you had utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to your companion: isn’t her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her, instead. 3Samson said to them, This time shall I be blameless in regard of the Philistines, when I do them a mischief. 4Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails. 5When he had set the brands 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. 6Then the Philistines said, Who has done this? They said, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife, and given her to his companion. The Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. 7Samson said to them, If you do after this manner, surely I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. 8He struck them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam. 9Then the Philistines went up, and encamped in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 10The men of Judah said, Why are you come up against us? They said, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he has done to us. 11Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” He said to them, As they did to me, so have I done to them. 12They said to him, We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not fall on me yourselves. 13They spoke to him, saying, No; but we will bind you fast, and deliver you into their hand: but surely we will not kill you. They bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock. 14When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him: and the Spirit of Yahweh 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. 15He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put forth his hand, and took it, and struck a thousand men therewith. 16Samson said, With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps on heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men. 17It happened, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was called Ramath Lehi. 18He was very thirsty, and called on Yahweh, and said, You have given this great deliverance by the hand of your servant; and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised. 19But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out of it. When he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: therefore the name of it was called En Hakkore, which is in Lehi, to this day. 20He judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Chapter 16

1Samson went to Gaza, and saw there a prostitute, and went in to her. 2It was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come here. They compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, Let be until morning light, then we will kill him. 3Samson lay until midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and 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. 4It came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5The lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see in which his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will each give you of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 6Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, Please, in which your great strength lies, and with which you might be bound to afflict you. 7Samson 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. 8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner chamber. She said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known. 10Delilah said to Samson, Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, Please, with which you might be bound. 11He 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. 12So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. The ambush was waiting in the inner chamber. He broke them off his arms like a thread. 13Delilah said to Samson, Hitherto you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me with which you might be bound. He said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web. 14She 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 web. 15She 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 in which your great strength lies. 16It happened, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was vexed to death. 17He 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.” 18When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he has told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hand. 19She 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. 20She said, The Philistines are on 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 Yahweh had departed from him. 21The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he ground at the mill in the prison. 22However the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaved. 23The lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. 24When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, Our god has delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us. 25It happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. They called for Samson out of the prison; and he made sport before them. They set him between the pillars: 26and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house rests, that I may lean on them. 27Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were on the roof about three thousand men and women, who saw while Samson made sport. 28Samson called to Yahweh, and said, Lord Yahweh, 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. 29Samson 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. 30Samson 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 therein. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life. 31Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial site of Manoah his father. He judged Israel twenty years.

Chapter 17

1There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2He said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you did utter a curse, and did also speak it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. His mother said, Blessed be my son of Yahweh. 3He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I most assuredly dedicate the silver to Yahweh from my hand for my son, to make an engraved image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it to you. 4When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made of it an engraved image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah. 5The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. 7There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there. 8The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to sojourn where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he traveled. 9Micah said to him, Whence come you? He said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. 10Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of clothing, and your food. So the Levite went in. 11The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons. 12Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13Then said Micah, Now know I that Yahweh will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

Chapter 18

1In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel. 2The children of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said to them, Go, search the land. They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. 3When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned aside there, and said to him, Who brought you here? and what do you in this place? and what have you here? 4He said to them, Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I am become his priest. 5They said to him, Ask counsel, we pray you, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous. 6The priest said to them, Go in peace: before Yahweh is your way wherein you go. 7Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people who were therein, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man. 8They came to their brothers to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brothers said to them, What say you? 9They said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good: and are you still? don’t be slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land. 10When you go, you shall come to a people secure, and the land is large; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth. 11There set forth from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with weapons of war. 12They went up, and encamped in Kiriath Jearim, in Judah: therefore they called that place Mahaneh Dan, to this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim. 13They passed there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. 14Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered, and said to their brothers, Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and an engraved image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what you have to do. 15They turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare. 16The six hundred men girt with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate. 17The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war. 18When these went into Micah’s house, and fetched the engraved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, What do you? 19They said to him, Hold your peace, lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel? 20The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the engraved image, and went in the midst of the people. 21So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the livestock and the goods before them. 22When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah’s house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23They cried to the children of Dan. They turned their faces, and said to Micah, What ails you, that you come with such a company? 24He said, you have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and are gone away, and what have I more? and how then say you to me, What ails you? 25The children of Dan said to him, “Don’t let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household.” 26The 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. 27They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burnt the city with fire. 28There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city, and lived therein. 29They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel: however the name of the city was Laish at the first. 30The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. 31So they set them up Micah’s engraved image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

Chapter 19

1It happened in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah. 2His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there the space of four months. 3Her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys: and she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 4His father-in-law, the young lady’s father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they ate and drink, and lodged there. 5It happened on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart: and 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. 6So they sat down, and ate and drink, both of them together: and the young lady’s father said to the man, Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry. 7The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again. 8He 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 ate, both of them. 9When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night: behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that you may go home. 10But the man wouldn’t stay that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus (the same is Jerusalem): and there were with him a couple of donkeys saddled; his concubine also was with him. 11When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Please come and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 12His master said to him, We won’t turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah. 13He said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 14So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. 15They turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah: and he went in, and sat him down in the street of the city; for there was no man who took them into his house to lodge. 16Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, Where go you? and whence come you? 18He said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim; from there am I, and I went to Bethlehem Judah: and I am now going to the house of Yahweh; and there is no man who takes me into his house. 19Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servants: there is no want of anything. 20The old man said, Peace be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don’t lodge in the street. 21So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and ate and drink. 22As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man who came into your house, that we may know him. 23The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, don’t do this folly. 24Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble you them, and do with them what seems good to you: but to this man don’t do any such folly. 25But the men wouldn’t listen to him: so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go. 26Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, until it was light. 27Her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28He said to her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and got him to his place. 29When he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel. 30It was so, that all who saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day: consider it, take counsel, and speak.

Chapter 20

1Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah. 2The chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew sword. 3(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass? 4The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5The men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about me by night; me they thought to have slain, and my concubine they forced, and she is dead. 6I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel. 7Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel. 8All the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn to his house. 9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot; 10and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have worked in Israel. 11So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. 12The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is happen among you? 13Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel. 14The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15The children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss. 17The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew sword: all these were men of war. 18The children of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? Yahweh said, Judah shall go up first. 19The children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah. 21The children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day Twenty-two thousand men. 22The 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. 23The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until even; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? Yahweh said, Go up against him. 24The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 25Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword. 26Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 27The children of Israel asked of Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? Yahweh said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand. 29Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah. 30The children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31The children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike and kill of the people, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32The children of Benjamin said, They are struck down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways. 33All the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar: and the ambushers of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba. 34There came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they didn’t know that evil was close on them. 35Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck; for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah. 37The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; and the ambushers drew themselves along, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city. 39The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle. 40But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to the sky. 41The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that evil had come on them. 42Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of it. 43They enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrise. 44There fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor. 45They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck of them two thousand men. 46So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all these were men of valor. 47But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months. 48The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the livestock, and all that they found: moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.

Chapter 21

1Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin as wife. 2The people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore. 3They said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel? 4It happened on the next day that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5The children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up in the assembly to Yahweh? For they had made a great oath concerning him who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death. 6The children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 7How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives? 8They said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah? Behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly. 9For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead there. 10The congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones. 11This is the thing that you shall do: you shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has lain by man. 12They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins, who had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. 13The whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them. 14Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh Gilead: and yet so they weren’t enough for them. 15The people grieved for Benjamin, because that Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? 17They said, There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. 18However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin. 19They said, Behold, there is a feast of Yahweh from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. 20They commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, 21and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come you out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22It shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, Grant them graciously to us, because we didn’t take for each man his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else would you now be guilty. 23The children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off: and they went and returned to their inheritance, and built the cities, and lived in them. 24The children of Israel departed there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance. 25In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Ruth

Chapter 1

1It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 2The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and continued there. 3Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4They took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they lived there about ten years. 5Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband. 6Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread. 7She went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother’s house: Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me. 9Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 10They said to her, No, but we will return with you to your people. 11Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons; 13would you therefore wait until they were grown? would you therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh is gone forth against me. 14They lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth joined with her. 15She said, Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back to her people, and to her god: return you after your sister-in-law. 16Ruth said, “Don’t entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; 17where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried: Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me.” 18When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her. 19So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. It happened, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi? 20She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty; why do you call me Naomi, seeing Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Chapter 2

1Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. 2Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. She said to her, Go, my daughter. 3She went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, Yahweh be with you. They answered him, Yahweh bless you. 5Then said Boaz to his servant who was set over the reapers, Whose young lady is this? 6The servant who was set over the reapers answered, It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 7She said, Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she stayed a little in the house. 8Then said Boaz to Ruth, Don’t you hear, my daughter? Don’t go to glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. 9Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them: haven’t I charged the young men that they shall not touch you? and when you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. 10Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner? 11Boaz answered her, It has fully been shown me, all that you have done to your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before. 12Yahweh recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you are come to take refuge. 13Then she said, Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken kindly to your handmaid, though I am not as one of your handmaidens. 14At meal time Boaz said to her, Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar. She sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she ate, and was sufficed, and left of it. 15When she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and don’t reproach her. 16Also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and don’t rebuke her. 17So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18She took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed. 19Her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? and where have you worked? blessed be he who did take knowledge of you. She shown her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz. 20Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Yahweh, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. Naomi said to her, The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen. 21Ruth the Moabitess said, Yes, he said to me, You shall keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. 22Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field. 23So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

Chapter 3

1Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor. 3Wash yourself therefore, and anoint you, and put your clothing on you, and get you down to the threshing floor, but don’t make yourself known to the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. 4It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay you down; and he will tell you what you shall do. 5She said to her, All that you say I will do. 6She went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law told her. 7When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. 8It happened at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9He said, Who are you? She answered, I am Ruth your handmaid: spread therefore your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman. 10He said, Blessed are you by Yahweh, my daughter: you have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich. 11Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people does know that you are a worthy woman. 12Now it is true that I am a near kinsman; however there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform to you the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to you, then will I do the part of a kinsman to you, as Yahweh lives: lie down until the morning. 14She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. 15He said, Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it; and she held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and he went into the city. 16When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who are you, my daughter? She told her all that the man had done to her. 17She said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said, “Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law.” 18Then said she, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day.”

Chapter 4

1Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. He turned aside, and sat down. 2He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit you down here. They sat down. 3He said to the near kinsman, Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4I thought to disclose it to you, saying, Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it: but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides you; and I am after you. He said, I will redeem it. 5Then said Boaz, What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance. 6The near kinsman said, I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance: take my right of redemption on you; for I can’t redeem it. 7Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. 8So the near kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself. He drew off his shoe. 9Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place: you are witnesses this day. 11All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel: and do you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12and let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give you of this young woman. 13So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14The women said to Naomi, Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel. 15He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him. 16Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it. 17The women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they named him Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18Now this is the history of the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron, 19and Hezron became the father of Ram, and Ram became the father of Amminadab, 20and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon became the father of Salmon, 21and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed, 22and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

The First Book of Samuel

Chapter 1

1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: 2and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. 4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 5but to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb. 6Her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Yahweh had shut up her womb. 7as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why weep you? and why don’t you eat? and why is your heart grieved? am I not better to you than ten sons? 9So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh. 10She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, and wept sore. 11She vowed a vow, and said, Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come on his head. 12It happened, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli marked her mouth. 13Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14Eli said to her, How long will you be drunken? put away your wine from you. 15Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh. 16Don’t count your handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto. 17Then Eli answered, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him. 18She said, Let your handmaid find favor in your sight. So the woman went her way, and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more. 19They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before Yahweh, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Yahweh remembered her. 20It happened, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Yahweh. 21The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22But Hannah didn’t go up; for she said to her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and there abide forever. 23Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems you good; wait until you have weaned him; only Yahweh establish his word. So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him. 24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh: and the child was young. 25They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26She said, Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh. 27For this child I prayed; and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him: 28therefore also I have granted him to Yahweh; as long as he lives he is granted to Yahweh. He worshiped Yahweh there.

Chapter 2

1Hannah prayed, and said:

My heart exults in Yahweh;

My horn is exalted in Yahweh;

My mouth is enlarged over my enemies;

Because I rejoice in your salvation.

2There is none holy as Yahweh;

For there is none besides you,

Neither is there any rock like our God.

3Talk no more so exceeding proudly;

Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth;

For Yahweh is a God of knowledge,

By him actions are weighed.

4The bows of the mighty men are broken;

Those who stumbled are girded with strength.

5Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread;

Those who were hungry have ceased to hunger:

Yes, the barren has borne seven;

She who has many children languishes.

6Yahweh kills, and makes alive:

He brings down to Sheol, and brings up.

7Yahweh makes poor, and makes rich:

He brings low, he also lifts up.

8He raises up the poor out of the dust,

He lifts up the needy from the dunghill,

To make them sit with princes,

Inherit the throne of glory:

For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s,

He has set the world on them.

9He will keep the feet of his holy ones;

But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness;

For by strength shall no man prevail.

10Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces;

Against them he will thunder in the sky:

Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth;

He will give strength to his king,

Exalt the horn of his anointed.

11Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister to Yahweh before Eli the priest. 12Now the sons of Eli were base men; they didn’t know Yahweh. 13The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand; 14and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15Yes, before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh of you, but raw. 16If the man said to him, They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would say, No, but you shall give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 17The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised the offering of Yahweh. 18But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 19Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Yahweh give you seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh. They went to their own home. 21Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh. 22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the tent of meeting. 23He said to them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people. 24No, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: you make Yahweh’s people to disobey. 25If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Yahweh, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh was minded to kill them. 26The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh, and also with men. 27There came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Did I reveal myself to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? 29Why kick you at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people? 30Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now Yahweh says, Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and the arm of your father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in your house. 32You shall see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33The man of yours, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 34This shall be the sign to you, that shall come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. 35I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before my anointed forever. 36It shall happen, that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.

Chapter 3

1The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 3and the lamp of God hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down to sleep, in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was; 4that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, Here am I. 5He ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He said, I didn’t call; lie down again. He went and lay down. 6Yahweh called yet again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He answered, I didn’t call, my son; lie down again. 7Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was the word of Yahweh yet revealed to him. 8Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. 9Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for your servant hears. 11Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. 14Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever. 15Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. He said, Here am I. 17He said, “What is the thing that Yahweh has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.” 18Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. He said, It is Yahweh: let him do what seems him good. 19Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh. 21Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.

Chapter 4

1The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was struck before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men. 3When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of Yahweh was come into the camp. 7The Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. They said, Woe to us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore. 8Woe to us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness. 9Be strong, and behave yourselves like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 10The Philistines fought, and Israel was struck, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11The ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 12There ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with earth on his head. 13When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 14When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What means the noise of this tumult? The man hurried, and came and told Eli. 15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see. 16The man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. He said, How went the matter, my son? 17He who brought the news answered, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. 19His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came on her. 20About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Don’t be afraid; for you have brought forth a son. But she didn’t answer, neither did she regard it. 21She named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22She said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.

Chapter 5

1Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off on the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. 5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day. 6But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders of it. 7When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is sore on us, and on Dagon our god. 8They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? They answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about to Gath. They carried the ark of the God of Israel there. 9It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them. 10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people. 11They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

Chapter 6

1The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place.”

3They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.”

4Then they said, “What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?”

They said, “Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 5Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed? 7Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 8and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side of it; and send it away, that it may go. 9Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us.”

10The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; 11and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. 12The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. 13They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 15The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh. 16When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 17These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. 19He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter. 20The men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 21They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come you down, and bring it up to you.

Chapter 7

1The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh. 2It happened, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh. 3Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you do return to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4Then the children of Israel did put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only. 5Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to Yahweh.” 6They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah. 7When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” 9Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh: and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him. 10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel. 11The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar. 12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto has Yahweh helped us. 13So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and the border of it did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places. 17His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to Yahweh.

Chapter 8

1It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah; 5and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. 8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. 9Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them. 10Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king. 11He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; 12and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants. 18You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day. 19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No: but we will have a king over us, 20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. 22Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.

Chapter 9

1Now 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 valor. 2He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 3The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the donkeys. 4He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren’t there: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them. 5When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us. 6He said to him, See now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes surely to pass: now let us go there; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. 7Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 8The servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he who is now called a Prophet was before called a Seer.) 10Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here? 12They answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he is come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place: 13as soon as you are come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he does bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat who are invited. Now therefore get you up; for at this time you shall find him. 14They went up to the city; and as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place. 15Now Yahweh had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people, because their cry is come to me. 17When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people. 18Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, Please, where the seer’s house is. 19Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today: and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father’s house? 21Saul answered, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? why then speak you to me after this manner? 22Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. 23Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it by you. 24The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, Behold, that which has been reserved! set it before you and eat; because to the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25When they were come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop. 26They arose early: and it happened about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send you away. Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand you still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.

Chapter 10

1Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, Isn’t it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance? 2When you are departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel’s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, The donkeys which you went to seek are found; and behold, your father has left off caring for the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 3Then shall you go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet you there three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 4and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand. 5After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when you are come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: 6and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. 7Let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you. 8You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shall you wait, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do. 9It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day. 10When 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 among them. 11It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 12One of the same place answered, Who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? 13When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 14Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, Where went you? He said, To seek the donkeys; and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel. 15Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, Please, what Samuel said to you. 16Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him. 17Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah; 18and he said to the children of Israel, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you: 19but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands. 20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. 22Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, Is there yet a man to come here? Yahweh answered, Behold, he has hid himself among the baggage. 23They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24Samuel said to all the people, “You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?”

All the people shouted, and said, Long live the king. 25Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the army, whose hearts God had touched. 27But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Chapter 11

1Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you. 2Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel. 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to you. 4Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 5Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What ails the people that they weep? They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9They said to the messengers who came, Thus shall you tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance. The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you. 11It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. 12The people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. 13Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel. 14Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Chapter 12

1Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 3Here I am: witness against me before Yahweh, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4They said, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man’s hand. 5He said to them, Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, He is witness. 6Samuel said to the people, It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10They cried to Yahweh, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you. 11Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. 12When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us; when Yahweh your God was your king. 13Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you. 14If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God, well: 15but if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes. 17Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking you a king. 18So Samuel called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. 19All the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 20Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid; you have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart: 21and don’t turn aside; for then would you go after vain things which can’t profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people to himself. 23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you. 25But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.”

Chapter 13

1Saul was forty years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2Saul chose him 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: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 4All Israel heard say that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal. 5The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven. 6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. 7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8He stayed seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9Saul said, Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings. He offered the burnt offering. 10It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11Samuel said, What have you done? Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; 12therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of Yahweh: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering. 13Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you: for now would Yahweh have established your kingdom on Israel forever. 14But now your kingdom shall not continue: Yahweh has sought him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you. 15Samuel arose, and got him up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; 21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads. 22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

Chapter 14

1Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on yonder side. But he didn’t tell his father. 2Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; 3and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone. 4Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few. 7His armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart: turn you, behold, I am with you according to your heart. 8Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will disclose ourselves to them. 9If they say thus to us, Wait until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. 10But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign to us. 11Both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. 15There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling. 16The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went here and there. 17Then said Saul to the people who were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. When they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of Israel. 19It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand. 20Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great confusion. 21Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them into the camp, from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven. 24The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food. 25All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. The people were faint. 29Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines. 31They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint; 32and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood. He said, you have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone to me this day. 34Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there. 35Saul built an altar to Yahweh: the same was the first altar that he built to Yahweh. 36Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the priest, Let us draw near here to God. 37Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? will you deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he didn’t answer him that day. 38Saul said, Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day. 39For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40Then said he to all Israel, Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you. 41Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, Show the right. Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot; but the people escaped. 42Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. Jonathan was taken. 43Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die. 44Saul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan. 45The people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die. 46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place. 47Now 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: and wherever he turned himself, he put them to the worse. 48He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them. 49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50and the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52There was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

Chapter 15

1Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen you to the voice of the words of Yahweh. 2Thus says Yahweh of Armies, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. 4Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you shown kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt. 8He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn’t utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10Then came the word of Yahweh to Samuel, saying, 11It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night. 12Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. 13Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, Blessed are you by Yahweh: I have performed the commandment of Yahweh. 14Samuel said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16Then Samuel said to Saul, Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me this night. He said to him, Say on. 17Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel; 18and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19Why then didn’t you obey the voice of Yahweh, but flew on the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?” 20Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal. 22Samuel said, Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king. 24Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh. 26Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 29Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. 30Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, Please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God. 31So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshiped Yahweh. 32Then said Samuel, Bring you here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal. 34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Chapter 16

1Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go: I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. Yahweh said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh. 3Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do: and you shall anoint to me him whom I name to you. 4Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Come you peaceably? 5He said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him. 7But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Yahweh sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.” 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this. 10Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, Yahweh has not chosen these. 11Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all your children? He said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he come here. 12He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. Yahweh said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. 15Saul’s servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. 16Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. 17Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 18Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him. 19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep. 20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. 23It happened, when the evil spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Chapter 17

1Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. 2Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6He had brass shin armor on his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 7The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield bearer went before him. 8He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us. 10The Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 12Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among men. 13The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul. 15Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17Jesse said to David his son, Take now for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; 18and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and look how your brothers fare, and take their pledge. 19Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as the army which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. 21Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army. 22David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. 24All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25The men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel. 26David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27The people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 28Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why are you come down? and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle. 29David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30He turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. 32David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34David said to Saul, Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, 35I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 36Your servant struck both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. 37David said, Yahweh who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go, and Yahweh shall be with you. 38Saul clad David with his clothing, and he put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 39David girded his sword on his clothing, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. David said to Saul, I can’t go with these; for I have not proved them. David put them off him. 40He took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 41The Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face. 43The Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field. 45Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This day will Yahweh deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you; and I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day 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, 47and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn’t save with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh’s, and he will give you into our hand. 48It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49David put his hand in his bag, and took there a stone, and slang it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50So 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 the hand of David. 51Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath of it, and killed him, and cut off his head therewith. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52The men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you come to 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. 53The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 55When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can’t tell. 56The king said, “Inquire whose son the young man is!”

57As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58Saul said to him, Whose son are you, you young man? David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

Chapter 18

1It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 5David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7The women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands. 8Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10It happened on the next day, that an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; 11and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice. 12Saul was afraid of David, because Yahweh was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Yahweh was with him. 15When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 16But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them. 17Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give you as wife: only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles. For Saul said, Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him. 18David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 19But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife. 20Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time. 22Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king’s son-in-law. 23Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24The servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David. 25Saul said, Thus shall you tell David, The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. The days were not expired; 27and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife. 28Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him. 29Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually. 30Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

Chapter 19

1Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself: 3and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and if I see anything, I will tell you. 4Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you: 5for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice; why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? 6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death. 7Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before. 8There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 9An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. 10Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11Saul sent messengers to David’s house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain. 12So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes. 14When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. 16When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at the head of it. 17Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? 18Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. 19It was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? One said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah. 23He went there to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Chapter 20

1David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity?” and “What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

2He said to him, “Far from it; you shall not die: behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”

3David swore moreover, and said, Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, Don’t let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. 4Then said Jonathan to David, Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you. 5David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening. 6If your father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7If he says, ‘It is well;’ your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him. 8Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you: but if there be in me iniquity, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father? 9Jonathan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that? 10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance your father answer you roughly? 11Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go out into the field. They went out both of them into the field. 12Jonathan said to David, Yahweh, the God of Israel, be witness: when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you? 13Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father. 14You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of Yahweh, that I not die; 15but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the surface of the earth. 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Yahweh will require it at the hand of David’s enemies. 17Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19When you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21Behold, I will send the boy, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I tell the boy, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you; take them, and come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as Yahweh lives. 22But if I say thus to the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond you; go your way; for Yahweh has sent you away. 23As touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between you and me forever. 24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. 25The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty. 26Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day: for he thought, Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean. 27It happened on the next day after the new moon, which was the second day, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why doesn’t the son of Jesse come to meat, neither yesterday, nor today? 28Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: 29and he said, Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brothers. Therefore he is not come to the king’s table. 30Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.

32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

33Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 35It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him. 36He said to his boy, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37When the boy was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, Isn’t the arrow beyond you? 38Jonathan cried after the boy, Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay! Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39But the boy didn’t know anything: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city. 41As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of Yahweh, saying, Yahweh shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever. He arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

Chapter 21

1Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you? 2David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place. 3Now therefore what is under your hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present. 4The priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women. 5David answered the priest, and said to him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then today shall their vessels be holy? 6So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread, that was taken from before Yahweh, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. 8David said to Ahimelech, Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste. 9The priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here. David said, There is none like that; give it me. 10David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing one to another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?’” 12David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. 14Then said Achish to his servants, Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? 15Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

Chapter 22

1David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 3David went there to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come forth, and be with you, until I know what God will do for me. 4He brought them before the king of Moab: and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold. 5The prophet Gad said to David, Don’t stay in the stronghold; depart, and get you into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth. 6Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 7Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, 8that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10He inquired of Yahweh for him, and gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 12Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. He answered, Here I am, my lord. 13Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house? 15Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more. 16The king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father’s house. 17The king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn’t disclose it to me. But the servants of the king wouldn’t put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh. 18The king said to Doeg, Turn you, and fall on the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell on the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. 19Nob, the city of the priests, struck he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Yahweh’s priests. 22David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father’s house. 23Abide you with me, don’t be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life: for with me you shall be in safeguard.

Chapter 23

1They told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors. 2Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? Yahweh said to David, Go, and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3David’s men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. 5David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7It was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars. 8Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod. 10Then said David, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant. Yahweh said, He will come down. 12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to me and my men into the hand of Saul? Yahweh said, They will deliver you up. 13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. It was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there. 14David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand. 15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. 16Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17He said to him, Don’t be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows. 18They two made a covenant before Yahweh: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. 19Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? 20Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king’s hand. 21Saul said, Blessed be you of Yahweh; for you have had compassion on me. 22Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly. 23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come you again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah. 24They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert. 25Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land. 28So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth. 29David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

Chapter 24

1It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. 3He came to the sheep pens by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. 4The men of David said to him, Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly. 5It happened afterward, that David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6He said to his men, Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh’s anointed. 7So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 9David said to Saul, Why listen you to men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt? 10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you; but my eye spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh’s anointed. 11Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it. 12Yahweh judge between me and you, and Yahweh avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. 13As says the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be on you. 14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. 16It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil. 18You have declared this day how that you have dealt well with me, because when Yahweh had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me. 19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 20Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 22David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.

Chapter 25

1Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful face: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 4David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 6and thus shall you tell him who lives in prosperity, Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7Now I have heard that you have shearers: your shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing to them, all the while they were in Carmel. 8Ask your young men, and they will tell you: therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand, to your servants, and to your son David. 9When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants who break away from their masters these days. 11Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don’t know where they come from? 12So David’s young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words. 13David said to his men, Gird you on every man his sword. They girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage. 14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to Greet our master; and he railed at them. 15But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields: 16they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him. 18Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19She said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal. 20It was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them. 21Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him: and he has returned me evil for good. 22God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one boy. 23When Abigail saw David, she hurried, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. 24She fell at his feet, and said, On me, my lord, on me be the iniquity; and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid. 25Please don’t let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid didn’t see the young men of my lord, whom you did send. 26Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, seeing Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 27Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of Yahweh; and evil shall not be found in you all your days. 29Though men be risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling. 30It shall come to pass, when Yahweh shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you prince over Israel, 31that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid. 32David said to Abigail, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me: 33and blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, that have kept me this day from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand. 34For in very deed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, who has withheld me from hurting you, except you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one boy. 35So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he said to her, Go up in peace to your house; behold, I have listened to your voice, and have accepted your person. 36Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37It happened in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38It happened about ten days after, that Yahweh struck Nabal, so that he died. 39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal has Yahweh returned on his own head. David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him as wife. 40When the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife. 41She arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42Abigail hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both of them his wives. 44Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

Chapter 26

1The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert? 2Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty. 5David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him. 6Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? Abishai said, I will go down with you. 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him. 8Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time. 9David said to Abishai, Don’t destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless? 10David said, As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. 11Yahweh forbid that I should put forth my hand against Yahweh’s anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go. 12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head; and they got them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh was fallen on them. 13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; 14and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Don’t you answer, Abner? Then Abner answered, Who are you who cries to the king? 15David said to Abner, Aren’t you a valiant man? and who is like you in Israel? why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. 16This thing isn’t good that you have done. As Yahweh lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head. 17Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? 19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Yahweh that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Yahweh: for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn’t cling to Yahweh’s inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22David answered, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and get it. 23Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t put forth my hand against Yahweh’s anointed. 24Behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all oppression. 25Then Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Chapter 27

1David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 2David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5David said to Achish, If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? 6Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day. 7The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. 9David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish. 10Achish said, Against whom have you made a raid today? David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites. 11David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Philistines. 12Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.

Chapter 28

1It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, Know you assuredly, that you shall go out with me in the army, you and your men. 2David said to Achish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever. 3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn’t answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor. 8Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I shall name to you. 9The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. 11Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? He said, Bring me up Samuel. 12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are Saul. 13The king said to her, Don’t be afraid: for what do you see? The woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. 14He said to her, What form is he of? She said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a robe. Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. 15Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do. 16Samuel said, Why then do you ask of me, seeing Yahweh is departed from you, and is become your adversary? 17Yahweh has done to you, as he spoke by me: and Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David. 18Because you didn’t obey the voice of Yahweh, and didn’t execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore has Yahweh done this thing to you this day. 19Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shall you and your sons be with me: Yahweh will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines. 20Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 21The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way. 23But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread of it: 25and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

Chapter 29

1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel. 2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish. 3Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to me to this day? 4But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men? 5Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands? 6Then Achish called David, and said to him, As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day: nevertheless the lords don’t favor you. 7Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines. 8David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 9Achish answered David, I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. 10Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 11So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Chapter 30

1It happened, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 2and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, both small and great: they didn’t kill any, but carried them off, and went their way. 3When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive. 4Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God. 7David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought there the ephod to David. 8David inquired of Yahweh, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? He answered him, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all. 9So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10But 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. 11They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink. 12They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 13David said to him, To whom belong you? and whence are you? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick. 14We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 15David said to him, Will you bring me down to this troop? He said, Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop. 16When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day: and there not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled. 18David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. 19There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all. 20David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, This is David’s spoil. 21David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him: and when David came near to the people, he greeted them. 22Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, and said, Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart. 23Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand. 24Who will listen to you in this matter? for as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike. 25It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. 26When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh: 27To those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir, 28and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, 29and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach, 31and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.

Chapter 31

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3The battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. 4Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it. 5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him. 6So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them. 8It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people. 10They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. 11When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and 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. 13They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

The Second Book of Samuel

Chapter 1

1It happened after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3David said to him, From whence come you? He said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4David said to him, How went the matter? Please tell me. He answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5David said to the young man who told him, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? 6The young man who told him said, As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. 7When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, Here am I. 8He said to me, Who are you? I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9He said to me, Stand, I pray you, beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord. 11Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him: 12and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 13David said to the young man who told him, Whence are you? He answered, I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite. 14David said to him, How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed? 15David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall on him. He struck him, so that he died. 16David said to him, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain Yahweh’s anointed.

17David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18(and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

19Your glory, Israel, is slain on your high places!

How are the mighty fallen!

20Don’t tell it in Gath,

Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon;

Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,

Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21You mountains of Gilboa,

Let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings:

For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,

The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,

The bow of Jonathan didn’t turn back,

The sword of Saul didn’t return empty.

23Saul 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.

24You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,

Who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan is slain on your high places.

26I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan:

Very pleasant have you been to me:

Your love to me was wonderful,

Passing the love of women.

27How are the mighty fallen,

The weapons of war perished!

Chapter 2

1It happened after this, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? Yahweh said to him, Go up. David said, Where shall I go up? He said, To Hebron. 2So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3His men who were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, saying, The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul. 5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be you of Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. 6Now Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be you valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them. 8Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14Abner said to Joab, Please let the young men arise and play before us. Joab said, Let them arise. 15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16They caught everyone his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 19Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it you, Asahel? He answered, It is I. 21Abner said to him, Turn you aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay you hold on one of the young men, and take you his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22Abner said again to Asahel, Turn you aside from following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother? 23However he refused to turn aside: therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it happened, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brothers?” 27Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed everyone his brother. 28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. 29Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. 30Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred sixty men died. 32They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.

Chapter 3

1Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 2To David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 6It happened, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine? 8Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? This day do I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman. 9God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don’t do even so to him; 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. 11He could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. 12Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make your league with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel to you. 13He said, Well; I will make a league with you; but one thing I require of you: that is, you shall not see my face, except you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face. 14David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Paltiel the son of Laish. 16Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, Go, return: and he returned. 17Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past you sought for David to be king over you: 18now then do it; for Yahweh has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast. 21Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace. 22Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? behold, Abner came to you; why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do. 26When Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David didn’t know it. 27When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread. 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier. 32They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept. 33The king lamented for Abner, and said,

Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters:

As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so did you fall.

All the people wept again over him. 35All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun be down. 36All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people. 37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38The king said to his servants, “Don’t you know that there a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.”

Chapter 4

1When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. 2Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin: 3and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until this day). 4Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. 5The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon. 6They came there into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night. 8They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; and Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. 9David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 10when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? 12David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

Chapter 5

1Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yahweh said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel. 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel. 4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. 6The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David can’t come in here. 7Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. 8David said on that day, Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated of David’s soul. Therefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he can’t come into the house. 9David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. David built round about from Millo and inward. 10David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of Armies, was with him. 11Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 12David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. 13David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 14These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet. 17When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. 18Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? will you deliver them into my hand? Yahweh said to David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand. 20David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, Yahweh has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21They left their images there; and David and his men took them away. 22The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23When David inquired of Yahweh, he said, You shall not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees. 24It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall bestir yourself; for then is Yahweh gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines. 25David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.

Chapter 6

1David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim. 3They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4They brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all manner of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with tambourines, and with castanets, and with cymbals. 6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled. 7The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken forth on Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day. 9David was afraid of Yahweh that day; and he said, How shall the ark of Yahweh come to me? 10So David would not remove the ark of Yahweh to him into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11The ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house. 12It was told king David, saying, Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God. David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy. 13It was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14David danced before Yahweh with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16It was so, as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart. 17They brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh. 18When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies. 19He dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to everyone a cake of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed everyone to his house. 20Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! 21David said to Michal, It was before Yahweh, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel: therefore will I play before Yahweh. 22I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight: but of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me. 23Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

Chapter 7

1It happened, when the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains. 3Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you. 4It happened the same night, that the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying, 5Go and tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh, Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in? 6for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but hawe moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? 8Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh of Armies, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Israel; 9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. 10I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first, 11and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house. 12When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 15but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. 16Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before you: your throne shall be established forever. 17According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David. 18Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of men, Lord Yahweh! 20What can David say more to you? for you know your servant, Lord Yahweh. 21For your word’s sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22Therefore you are great, Yahweh God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24You did establish to yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God. 25Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm you it forever, and do as you have spoken. 26Let your name be magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of Armies is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you. 27For you, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. 28Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant: 29now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever.

Chapter 8

1After this it happened that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines. 2He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute. 3David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River. 4David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots. 5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. 7David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass. 9When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer, 10then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: 11These also did king David dedicate to Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued; 12of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men. 14He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. 15David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness to all his people. 16Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was scribe; 18and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

Chapter 9

1David said, Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 2There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? He said, Your servant is he. 3The king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet. 4The king said to him, Where is he? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar. 5Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 6Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. David said, Mephibosheth. He answered, Behold, your servant! 7David said to him, “Don’t be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore you all the land of Saul your father; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” 8He did obeisance, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?” 9Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master’s son. 10You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in the fruits, that your master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread always at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11Then said Ziba to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so shall your servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. 12Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.

Chapter 10

1It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shown kindness to me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. 3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it? 4So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. 5When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. 6When the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men. 7When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men. 8The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field. 9Now 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: 10The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon. 11He said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh do that which seems him good. 13So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. 14When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem. 15When the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head. 17It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him. 18The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there. 19When all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

Chapter 11

1It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. 2It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on. 3David send and inquired after the woman. One said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house. 5The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 6David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. Joab sent Uriah to David. 7When Uriah was come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. 8David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king. 9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house. 10When they had told David, saying, Uriah didn’t go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Haven’t you come from a journey? why did you not go down to your house? 11Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field; shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing. 12David said to Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the next day. 13When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house. 14It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15He wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire you from him, that he may be struck, and die. 16It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were. 17The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19and he charged the messenger, saying, “When you have made an end of telling all the things concerning the war to the king, 20it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he tells you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall? 21who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then shall you say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

22So the messenger went, and came and shown David all that Joab had sent him for. 23The messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate. 24The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25Then David said to the messenger, Thus shall you tell Joab, Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; make your battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage you him. 26When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband. 27When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Yahweh.

Chapter 12

1Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter. 4A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him.”

5David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die! 6He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!”

7Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things. 9Why have you despised the word of Yahweh, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”

13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.”

Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die. 14However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” 15Nathan departed to his house.

Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick. 16David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth. 17The elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead! 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? They said, He is dead. 20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of Yahweh, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate. 21Then said his servants to him, What thing is this that you have done? you did fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, you did rise and eat bread. 22He said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23But now he is dead, why should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me. 24David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her: and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him; 25and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh’s sake. 26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yes, I have taken the city of waters. 28Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. 29David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. 30He took the crown of their king from off his head; and the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much. 31He brought forth the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and thus did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Chapter 13

1It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man. 4He said to him, Why, son of the king, are you thus lean from day to day? Won’t you tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. 5Jonadab said to him, Lay you down on your bed, and feign yourself sick: and when your father comes to see you, tell him, Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand. 6So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let her sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. 7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and dress him food. 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. 9She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, Have out all men from me. They went out every man from him. 10Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand. Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister. 12She answered him, No, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Don’t you do this folly. 13I, where shall I carry my shame? and as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you. 14However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. 15Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone. 16She said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other that you did to me. But he would not listen to her. 17Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. 18She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went. 20Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? but now hold your peace, my sister: he is your brother; don’t take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 21But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. 23It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24Absalom came to the king, and said, See now, your servant has sheepshearers; let the king, I pray you, and his servants go with your servant. 25The king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. He pressed him: however he would not go, but blessed him. 26Then said Absalom, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. The king said to him, Why should he go with you? 27But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark you now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, Smite Amnon, then kill him; don’t be afraid; haven’t I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. 29The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got him up on his mule, and fled. 30It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. 31Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered, Don’t let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33Now therefore don’t let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead. 34But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him. 35Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king’s sons are come: as your servant said, so it is. 36It happened, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore. 37But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day. 38So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39the soul of king David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

Chapter 14

1Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom. 2Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched there a wise woman, and said to her, please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, Please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has a long time mourned for the dead: 3and go in to the king, and speak on this manner to him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. 4When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king. 5The king said to her, What ails you? She answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead. 6Your handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one struck the other, and killed him. 7Behold, the whole family is risen against your handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth. 8The king said to the woman, Go to your house, and I will give charge concerning you. 9The woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and the king and his throne be guiltless. 10The king said, Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more. 11Then said she, Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. He said, As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth. 12Then the woman said, Please let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king. He said, Say on. 13The woman said, Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one. 14For we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him. 15Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God. 17Then your handmaid said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Yahweh your God be with you. 18Then the king answered the woman, Please don’t hide anything from me that I shall ask you. The woman said, Let my lord the king now speak. 19The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid; 20to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth. 21The king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back. 22Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant. 23So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24The king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face. 25Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight. 27To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful face. 28Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem; and he didn’t see the king’s face. 29Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come. 30Therefore he said to his servants, Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. 31Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire? 32Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to you, saying, Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, Why am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me. 33So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

Chapter 15

1It happened after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are you? He said, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 3Absalom said to him, Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized of the king to hear you. 4Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice! 5It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. 6In this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7It happened at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron. 8For your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh. 9The king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. 10But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron. 11With Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything. 12Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom. 13There came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. 14David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword. 15The king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose. 16The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house. 17The king went forth, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak. 18All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. 19Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Why go you also with us? return, and abide with the king: for you are a foreigner, and also an exile; return to your own place. 20Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? return you, and take back your brothers; mercy and truth be with you. 21Ittai answered the king, and said, As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be. 22David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him. 23All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness. 24Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city. 25The king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation: 26but if he say thus, I have no delight in you; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seems good to him. 27The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.” 29Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there. 30David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. 31One told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. David said, Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. 32It happened that when David had come to the top of the ascent, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head. 33David said to him, If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me: 34but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? therefore it shall be, that whatever thing you shall hear out of the king’s house, you shall tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send to me everything that you shall hear. 37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Chapter 16

1When David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2The king said to Ziba, What do you mean by these? Ziba said, The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. 3The king said, Where is your master’s son? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. 4Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, all that pertains to Mephibosheth is yours. Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king. 5When king David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, and cursed still as he came. 6He cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7Thus said Shimei when he cursed, Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and base fellow: 8Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Yahweh has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and behold, you are taken in your own mischief, because you are a man of blood. 9Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.” 10The king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, Curse David; who then shall say, Why have you done so? 11David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more may this Benjamite now do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him. 12It may be that Yahweh will look on the wrong done to me, and that Yahweh will requite me good for his cursing of me this day. 13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. 14The king, and all the people who were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there. 15Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16It happened, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king, Long live the king. 17Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend? 18Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom Yahweh, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide. 19Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence. 20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do. 21Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father’s concubines, that he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred of your father: then will the hands of all who are with you be strong. 22So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Chapter 17

1Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2and I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid; and all the people who are with him shall flee; and I will strike the king only; 3and I will bring back all the people to you: the man whom you seek is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 4The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. 5Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says. 6When Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not, speak up. 7Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good. 8Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, as a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will happen, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom. 10Even 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. 11But 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. 12So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one. 13Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there not be one small stone found there. 14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom. 15Then said Hushai to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counseled. 16Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Don’t lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him. 17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David: for they might not be seen to come into the city. 18But a boy saw them, and told Absalom: and they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there. 19The woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; and nothing was known. 20Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? The woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise you, and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you. 22Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan. 23When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got him home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father. 24Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. 27It happened, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 28brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched grain, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, 29and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat: for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

Chapter 18

1David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3But the people said, You shall not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city. 4The king said to them, What seems you best I will do. The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. All the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. 6So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7The people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 8For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 10A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. 11Joab said to the man who told him, Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? and I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash. 12The man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me. 14Then said Joab, I may not wait thus with you. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor compassed about and struck Absalom, and killed him. 16Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people. 17They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled everyone to his tent. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in memory: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, to this day. 19Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies. 20Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day; but this day you shall bear no news, because the king’s son is dead. 21Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran. 22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, Please let me also run after the Cushite. Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news? 23But come what may, said he, I will run. He said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite. 24Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. 25The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, If he be alone, there is news in his mouth. He came apace, and drew near. 26The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. The king said, He also brings news. 27The watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. The king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news. 28Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29The king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was. 30The king said, Turn aside, and stand here. He turned aside, and stood still. 31Behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, News for my lord the king; for Yahweh has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you. 32The king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? The Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you hurt, be as that young man is. 33The king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!

Chapter 19

1It was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom. 2The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king grieves for his son. 3The people got them by stealth that day into the city, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, my son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son! 5Joab came into the house to the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; 6in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you: for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased you well. 7Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go forth, there will not stay a man with you this night: and that will be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now. 8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent. 9All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom. 10Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back? 11King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, to bring him to his house. 12You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king? 13Say you to Amasa, Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually in the room of Joab. 14He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, Return you, and all your servants. 15So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan. 16Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king. 18A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan. 19He said to the king, Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20For your servant does know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. 21But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed? 22David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for don’t I know that I am this day king over Israel? 23The king said to Shimei, You shall not die. The king swore to him. 24Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25It happened, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth? 26He answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your servant is lame. 27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes. 28For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king? 29The king said to him, Why speak you any more of your matters? I say, You and Ziba divide the land. 30Mephibosheth said to the king, yes, let him take all, because my lord the king is come in peace to his own house. 31Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan. 32Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33The king said to Barzillai, Come you over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem. 34Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am this day eighty years old: can I discern between good and bad? can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king? 36Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? 37Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you. 38The king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you: and whatever you shall require of me, that will I do for you. 39All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over: and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place. 40So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him: and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel. 41Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him? 42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is a close relative to us: why then are you angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? or has he given us any gift? 43The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than you: why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Chapter 20

1There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel. 2So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. 3David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood. 4Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present. 5So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight. 7There went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 8When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out. 9Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he struck him therewith in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. 11There stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab. 12Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. 13When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 14He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16Then cried a wise woman out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’” 17He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear. 18Then she spoke, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter. 19I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel: you seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh? 20Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21The matter is not so: but a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. The woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall. 22Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. 23Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites; 24and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

Chapter 21

1There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites. 2The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah); 3and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh? 4The Gibeonites said to him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. He said, What you shall say, that will I do for you. 5They said to the king, The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh. The king said, I will give them. 7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: 9He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and they fell all seven together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest. 10Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured on them from the sky; and she allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night. 11It was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa; 13and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that God was entreated for the land. 15The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint; 16and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. 17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel. 18It came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 19There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20There was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him. 22These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Chapter 22

1David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: 2and he said,

Yahweh is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine;

3God, my rock, in him will I take refuge;

My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge;

My savior, you save me from violence.

4I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised:

So shall I be saved from my enemies.

5For the waves of death compassed me;

The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:

6The cords of Sheol were round about me;

The snares of death came on me.

7In my distress I called on Yahweh;

Yes, I called to my God:

He heard my voice out of his temple,

My cry came into his ears.

8Then the earth shook and trembled,

The foundations of heaven quaked

Were shaken, because he was angry.

9There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,

Fire out of his mouth devoured:

Coals were kindled by it.

10He bowed the heavens also, and came down;

Thick darkness was under his feet.

11He rode on a cherub, and did fly;

Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.

12He made darkness pavilions round about him,

Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

13At the brightness before him

Coals of fire were kindled.

14Yahweh thundered from heaven,

The Most High uttered his voice.

15He sent out arrows, and scattered them;

Lightning, and confused them.

16Then the channels of the sea appeared,

The foundations of the world were laid bare,

By the rebuke of Yahweh,

At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

17He sent from on high, he took me;

He drew me out of many waters;

18He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

19They came on me in the day of my calamity;

But Yahweh was my stay.

20He brought me forth also into a large place;

He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.

22For I have kept the ways of Yahweh,

And have not wickedly departed from my God.

23For all his ordinances were before me;

As for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

24I was also perfect toward him;

I kept myself from my iniquity.

25Therefore has Yahweh recompensed me according to my righteousness,

According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

26With the merciful you will show yourself merciful;

With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect;

27With the pure you will show yourself pure;

With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

28The afflicted people you will save;

But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down.

29For you are my lamp, Yahweh;

Yahweh will lighten my darkness.

30For by you I run on a troop;

By my God do I leap over a wall.

31As for God, his way is perfect:

The word of Yahweh is tried;

He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

32For who is God, save Yahweh?

Who is a rock, save our God?

33God is my strong fortress;

He guides the perfect in his way.

34He makes his feet like hinds’ feet,

Sets me on my high places.

35He teaches my hands to war,

So that my arms do bend a bow of brass.

36You have also given me the shield of your salvation;

Your gentleness has made me great.

37You have enlarged my steps under me;

My feet have not slipped.

38I have pursued my enemies, and destroyed them;

Neither did I turn again until they were consumed.

39I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise:

Yes, they are fallen under my feet.

40For you have girded me with strength to the battle;

You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

41You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

That I might cut off those who hate me.

42They looked, but there was none to save;

Even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.

43Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth,

I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad.

44You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people;

You have kept me to be the head of the nations:

A people whom I have not known shall serve me.

45The foreigners shall submit themselves to me:

As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me.

46The foreigners shall fade away,

Shall come trembling out of their close places.

47Yahweh lives; Blessed be my rock;

Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

48Even the God who executes vengeance for me,

Who brings down peoples under me,

49Who brings me forth from my enemies:

Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me;

You deliver me from the violent man.

50Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,

Will sing praises to your name.

51Great deliverance gives he to his king,

Shows loving kindness to his anointed,

To David and to his seed, forevermore.

Chapter 23

1Now these are the last words of David.

David the son of Jesse says,

The man who was raised on high says,

The anointed of the God of Jacob,

The sweet psalmist of Israel:

2The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me,

His word was on my tongue.

3The God of Israel said,

The Rock of Israel spoke to me:

One who rules over men righteously,

Who rules in the fear of God,

4He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,

A morning without clouds,

When the tender grass springs out of the earth,

Through clear shining after rain.

5Most assuredly my house is not so with God;

Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant,

Ordered in all things, and sure:

For it is all my salvation, and all my desire,

Although he doesn’t make it grow.

6But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away,

Because they can’t be taken with the hand

7But the man who touches them

Must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear:

They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place

8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time. 9After 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 were gone away. 10He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil. 11After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory. 13Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 14David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 16The 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 Yahweh. 17He said, Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. 18Abishai, 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 among the three. 19Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn’t attain to the first three. 20Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 21He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: 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. 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. 23He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the first three. David set him over his guard. 24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash. 31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Chapter 24

1Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Go now back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number you the people, that I may know the sum of the people. 3Joab said to the king, Now Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why does my lord the king delight in this thing? 4Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 5They passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer: 6then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan, and round about to Sidon, 7and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba. 8So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9Joab gave up the sum of the numbering 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. 10David’s heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to Yahweh, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly. 11When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12Go and speak to David, Thus says Yahweh, I offer you three things: choose you one of them, that I may do it to you. 13So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? now advise you, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me. 14David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of Yahweh; for his mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man. 15So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 16When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh repented him of the evil, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay your hand. The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house. 18Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to Yahweh in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahweh commanded. 20Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 21Araunah said, Why is my lord the king come to his servant? David said, To buy the threshing floor of you, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him: behold, the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood: 23all this, king, does Araunah give to the king. Araunah said to the king, Yahweh your God accept you. 24The king said to Araunah, No; but I will most assuredly buy it of you at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25David built there an altar to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

The First Book of Kings

Chapter 1

1Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he got no heat. 2Therefore his servants said to him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm. 3So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn’t know her intimately. 5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why have you done so? and he was also a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom. 7He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. 8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. 9Adonijah killed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants: 10but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he didn’t call. 11Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Haven’t you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn’t know it? 12Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go and get you in to king David, and tell him, Didn’t you, my lord, king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then does Adonijah reign? 14Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words. 15Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. 16Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance to the king. The king said, What would you? 17She said to him, My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. 18Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don’t know it: 19and he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn’t called Solomon your servant. 20You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders. 22Behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23They told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. When he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24Nathan said, My lord, king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? 25For he is gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, Long live king Adonijah. 26But he hasn’t called me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. 27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven’t shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? 28Then king David answered, Call to me Bathsheba. She came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. 29The king swore, and said, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 30most assuredly as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place; most assuredly so will I do this day. 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever. 32King David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. They came before the king. 33The king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 34and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow you the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon. 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne; for he shall be king in my place; and I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah. 36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say so too. 37As Yahweh has been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David. 38So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride on king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon. 40All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with the sound of them. 41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 42While he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a worthy man, and bring good news. 43Jonathan answered Adonijah, Most assuredly our lord king David has made Solomon king: 44and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride on the king’s mule; 45and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that you have heard. 46Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47Moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne: and the king bowed himself on the bed. 48Also thus said the king, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, my eyes even seeing it. 49All the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. 50Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51It was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for, behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword. 52Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die. 53So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and did obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.

Chapter 2

1Now the days of David drew near that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2I am going the way of all the earth: be you strong therefore, and show yourself a man; 3and keep the charge of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and wherever you turn yourself. 4That Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If your children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. 5Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was about his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet. 6Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, I will not put you to death with the sword. 9Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood. 10David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 11The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty-three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 12Solomon sat on the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. 13Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, Come you peaceably? He said, Peaceably. 14He said moreover, I have somewhat to tell you. She said, Say on. 15He said, You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: however the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s; for it was his from Yahweh. 16Now I ask one petition of you; don’t deny me. She said to him, Say on. 17He said, Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife. 18Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for you to the king. 19Bathsheba therefore went to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20Then she said, I ask one small petition of you; don’t deny me. The king said to her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny you. 21She said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife. 22King Solomon answered his mother, Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. 23Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life. 24Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day. 25King Solomon sent by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died. 26To Abiathar the priest said the king, Get you to Anathoth, to your own fields; for you are worthy of death: but I will not at this time put you to death, because you bear the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted. 27So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. 28The news came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he didn’t turn after Absalom. Joab fled to the Tent of Yahweh, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 29It was told king Solomon, Joab is fled to the Tent of Yahweh, and behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall on him. 30Benaiah came to the Tent of Yahweh, and said to him, Thus says the king, Come forth. He said, No; but I will die here. Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. 31The king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house. 32Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah. 33So shall their blood return on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed forever: but to David, and to his seed, and to his house, and to his throne, shall there be peace for ever from Yahweh. 34Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the army; and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar. 36The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and don’t go forth from there any where. 37For on the day you go out, and pass over the brook Kidron, know you for certain that you shall surely die: your blood shall be on your own head. 38Shimei said to the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days. 39It happened at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, Behold, your servants are in Gath. 40Shimei arose, and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath. 41It was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again. 42The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Didn’t I adjure you by Yahweh, and protest to you, saying, Know for certain, that on the day you go out, and walk abroad any where, you shall surely die? and you said to me, The saying that I have heard is good. 43Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the commandment that I have charged you with? 44The king said moreover to Shimei, You know all the wickedness which your heart is privy to, that you did to David my father: therefore Yahweh shall return your wickedness on your own head. 45But king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Yahweh forever. 46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Chapter 3

1Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. 2Only the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Yahweh until those days. 3Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer on that altar. 5In Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give you. 6Solomon said, You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, according as he walked before you in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you; and you have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7Now, Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I don’t know how to go out or come in. 8Your servant is in the midst of your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this your great people? 10The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice; 12behold, I have done according to your word: behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you. 13I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you, all your days. 14If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days. 15Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream: and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. 16Then there came two women who were prostitutes, to the king, and stood before him. 17The one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. 18It happened the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also; and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19This woman’s child died in the night, because she lay on it. 20She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21When I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore. 22The other woman said, No; but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. This said, No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king. 23Then said the king, The one says, This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead: and the other says, No; but your son is the dead, and my son is the living. 24The king said, Get me a sword. They brought a sword before the king. 25The king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 26Then spoke the woman whose the living child was to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it. 27Then the king answered, Give her the living child, and in no way kill it: she is the mother of it. 28All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.

Chapter 4

1King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; 3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, and the king’s friend; 6and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor. 7Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year. 8These are their names: Ben Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9Ben Deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan; 10Ben Hesed, in Arubboth (to him pertained Socoh, and all the land of Hepher); 11Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as wife); 12Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam; 13Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars); 14Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife); 16Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 19Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land. 20Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry. 21Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life. 22Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal, 23ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl. 24For he had dominion over all the region on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him. 25Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 26Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27Those officers provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon’s table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking. 28Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge. 29God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the seashore. 30Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about. 32He spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were one thousand five. 33He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish. 34There came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

Chapter 5

1Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. 2Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3You know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet. 4But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence. 5Behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father, saying, Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your room, he shall build the house for my name. 6Now therefore command you that they cut me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you hire for your servants according to all that you shall say: for you know that there is not among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians. 7It happened, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Yahweh this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people. 8Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard the message which you have sent to me: I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 9My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them; and you shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 10So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire. 11Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 12Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together. 13King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 14He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor. 15Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains; 16besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bore rule over the people who labored in the work. 17The king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone. 18Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

Chapter 6

1It happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Yahweh. 2The house which king Solomon built for Yahweh, the length of it was sixty cubits, and the breadth of it twenty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 3The porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length of it, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth of it before the house. 4For the house he made windows of fixed lattice work. 5Against the wall of the house he built stories round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side chambers round about. 6The nethermost story was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house round about, that the beams should not have hold in the walls of the house. 7The house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. 8The door for the middle side chambers was in the right side of the house: and they went up by winding stairs into the middle story, and out of the middle into the third. 9So he built the house, and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar. 10He built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar. 11The word of Yahweh came to Solomon, saying, 12Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. 14So Solomon built the house, and finished it. 15He built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of fir. 16He built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls of the ceiling: he built them for it within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place. 17The house, that is, the temple before the oracle, was forty cubits long. 18There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen. 19He prepared an oracle in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. 20Within the oracle was a space of twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height of it; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar. 21So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. 22The whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold. 23In the oracle he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing to the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. 25The other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one form. 26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. 27He set the cherubim within the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. 28He overlaid the cherubim with gold. 29He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside. 30The floor of the house he overlaid with gold, inside and outside. 31For the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive wood: the lintel and door posts were a fifth part of the wall. 32So he made two doors of olive wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim, and on the palm trees. 33So also made he for the entrance of the temple door posts of olive wood, out of a fourth part of the wall; 34and two doors of fir wood: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. 35He carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold fitted on the engraved work. 36He built the inner court with three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams. 37In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of Yahweh laid, in the month Ziv. 38In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts of it, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

Chapter 7

1Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. 2For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length of it was one hundred cubits, and the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3It was covered with cedar above over the forty-five beams, that were on the pillars; fifteen in a row. 4There were beams in three rows, and window was over against window in three ranks. 5All the doors and posts were made square with beams: and window was over against window in three ranks. 6He made the porch of pillars; the length of it was fifty cubits, and the breadth of it thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and pillars and a threshold before them. 7He made the porch of the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor. 8His house where he was to dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work. He made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter (whom Solomon had taken as wife), like this porch. 9All these were of costly stones, even of hewn stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside, even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court. 10The foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. 11Above were costly stones, even hewn stone, according to measure, and cedar wood. 12The great court round about had three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams; like as the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and the porch of the house. 13King Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. He came to king Solomon, and performed all his work. 15For he fashioned the two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits compassed either of them about. 16He made two capitals of molten brass, to set on the tops of the pillars: the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17There were nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital. 18So he made the pillars; and there were two rows round about on the one network, to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pillars: and so did he for the other capital. 19The capitals that were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily work, four cubits. 20There were capitals above also on the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about on the other capital. 21He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name of it Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called the name of it Boaz. 22On the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished. 23He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height of it was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about. 24Under the brim of it round about there were buds which did compass it, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about: the buds were in two rows, cast when it was cast. 25It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hinder parts were inward. 26It was a handbreadth thick: and the brim of it was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths. 27He made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth of it, and three cubits the height of it. 28The work of the bases was on this manner: they had panels; and there were panels between the ledges; 29and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. 30Every base had four brazen wheels, and axles of brass; and the four feet of it had supports: beneath the basin were the supports molten, with wreaths at the side of each. 31The mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and the mouth of it was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on the mouth of it were engravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round. 32The four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axles of the wheels were in the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. 33The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axles, and their rims, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten. 34There were four supports at the four corners of each base: the supports of it were of the base itself. 35In the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base the stays of it and the panels of it were of the same. 36On the plates of the stays of it, and on the panels of it, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about. 37After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one form. 38He made ten basins of brass: one basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and on very one of the ten bases one basin. 39He set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south. 40Hiram made the basins, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he worked for king Solomon in the house of Yahweh: 41the two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; 42and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; 43and the ten bases, and the ten basins on the bases; 44and the one sea, and the twelve oxen under the sea; 45and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins: even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in the house of Yahweh, were of burnished brass. 46In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. 47Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: the weight of the brass could not be found out. 48Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahweh: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the show bread was, of gold; 49and the lampstands, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple, of gold. 51Thus all the work that king Solomon worked in the house of Yahweh was finished. Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.

Chapter 8

1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2All the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3All the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4They brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up. 5King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude. 6The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. 7For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the poles of it above. 8The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and there they are to this day. 9There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10It came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Yahweh, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh. 12Then spoke Solomon, Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13I have surely built you a house of habitation, a place for you to dwell in forever. 14The king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood. 15He said, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David your father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying, 16Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. 17Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 18But Yahweh said to David my father, Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart: 19nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for my name. 20Yahweh has established his word that he spoke; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 21There have I set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 22Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven; 23and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart; 24who have kept with your servant David my father that which you did promise him: yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day. 25Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me. 26Now therefore, God of Israel, Please let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David my father. 27But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and for his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you this day; 29that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which you have said, My name shall be there; to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place. 30Listen you to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive. 31If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid on him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before your altar in this house; 32then hear you in heaven, and do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 33When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you; if they turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray and make supplication to you in this house: 34then hear you in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers. 35When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them: 36then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance. 37If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there be; 38whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: 39then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men;) 40that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers. 41Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for your name’s sake 42(for they shall hear of your great name, and of your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house; 43hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as does your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by my name. 44If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to Yahweh toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name; 45then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 46If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; 47yet if they shall repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly; 48if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name: 49then hear you their prayer and their supplication in heaven, your dwelling place, and maintain their cause; 50and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51(for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron); 52that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your servant, and to the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to you. 53For you did separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh. 54It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven. 55He stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant. 57Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us; 58that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers. 59Let these my words, with which I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require; 60that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh, he is God; there is none else. 61Let your heart therefore be perfect with Yahweh our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. 62The king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before Yahweh. 63Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Yahweh, two and twenty thousand oxen, and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh. 64The same day did the king make the middle of the court holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar that was before Yahweh was too little to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings. 65So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. 66On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David his servant, and to Israel his people.

Chapter 9

1It happened, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of Yahweh, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do, 2that Yahweh appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3Yahweh said to him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication, that you have made before me: I have made this house holy, which you have built, to put my name there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 4As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances; 5then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, according as I promised to David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man on the throne of Israel. 6But if you shall turn away from following me, you or your children, and not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 7then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8Though this house is so high, yet shall everyone who passes by it be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why has Yahweh done thus to this land, and to this house? 9and they shall answer, Because they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them: therefore has Yahweh brought all this evil on them. 10It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Yahweh and the king’s house 11(now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire), that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they didn’t please him. 13He said, What cities are these which you have given me, my brother? He called them the land of Cabul to this day. 14Hiram sent to the king one hundred twenty talents of gold. 15This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Yahweh, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. 16Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it for a portion to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17Solomon built Gezer, and Beth Horon the lower, 18and Baalath, and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land, 19and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel; 21their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them did Solomon raise a levy of bondservants to this day. 22But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondservants; but they were the men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen. 23These were the chief officers who were over Solomon’s work, five hundred fifty, who bore rule over the people who labored in the work. 24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo. 25Three times a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to Yahweh, burning incense therewith, on the altar that was before Yahweh. So he finished the house. 26King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27Hiram sent in the navy his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28They came to Ophir, and fetched from there gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

Chapter 10

1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart. 3Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hidden from the king which he didn’t tell her. 4When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 5and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, and his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her. 6She said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom. 7However I didn’t believe the words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and behold, the half was not told me; your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. 8Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and who hear your wisdom. 9Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel: because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore made he you king, to do justice and righteousness. 10She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11The navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones. 12The king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of Yahweh, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen, to this day. 13King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants. 14Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 15besides that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. 16King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. 17he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 20Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom. 21All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 22For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 26Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 28The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 29A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Chapter 11

1Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; 2of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon joined to these in love. 3He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4For it happened, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. 7Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8So did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded. 11Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, Because this is done of you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12Notwithstanding in your days I will not do it, for David your father’s sake: but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen. 14Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. 15For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army was gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom 16(for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom); 17that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, Hadad being yet a little child. 18They arose out of Midian, and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him food, and gave him land. 19Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh. 21When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to my own country. 22Then Pharaoh said to him, But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to your own country? He answered, Nothing: however only let me depart. 23God raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24He gathered men to him, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and lived therein, and reigned in Damascus. 25He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. 26Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, he also lifted up his hand against the king. 27This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of the city of David his father. 28The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of Joseph. 29It happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field. 30Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces. 31He said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces; for thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you 32(but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel); 33because that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon; and they have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as did David his father. 34However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my servant’s sake whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes; 35but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it to you, even ten tribes. 36To his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. 37I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. 38It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever. 40Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. 41Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 12

1Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 2It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt, 3and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you. 5He said to them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. The people departed. 6King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people? 7They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. 8But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9He said to them, What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter? 10The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell this people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus shall you speak to them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, 14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about of Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, Israel: now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents. 17But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day. 20It happened, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. 21When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, 24Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Yahweh. 25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived therein; and he went out from there, and built Penuel. 26Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David: 27if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: see your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 29He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. 30This thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even to Dan. 31He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; so did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. 33He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.

Chapter 13

1Behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Yahweh to Beth El: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. 2He cried against the altar by the word of Yahweh, and said, altar, altar, thus says Yahweh: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall they burn on you. 3He gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which Yahweh has spoken: Behold, the altar shall be torn, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out. 4It happened, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. His hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to him. 5The altar also was torn, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Yahweh. 6The king answered the man of God, Entreat now the favor of Yahweh your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. The man of God entreated Yahweh, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. 7The king said to the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward. 8The man of God said to the king, If you will give me half your house, I will not go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place; 9for so was it charged me by the word of Yahweh, saying, You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, neither return by the way that you came. 10So he went another way, and didn’t return by the way that he came to Bethel. 11Now there lived an old prophet in Bethel; and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken to the king, them also they told to their father. 12Their father said to them, Which way did he go? Now his sons had seen which way the man of God went, who came from Judah. 13He said to his sons, Saddle me the donkey. So they saddled him the donkey; and he rode thereon. 14He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak; and he said to him, Are you the man of God who came from Judah? He said, I am. 15Then he said to him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16He said, I may not return with you, nor go in with you; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place: 17for it was said to me by the word of Yahweh, You shall eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that you came. 18He said to him, I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him. 19So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water. 20It happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of Yahweh came to the prophet who brought him back; 21and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have been disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh, and have not kept the commandment which Yahweh your God commanded you, 22but came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, Eat no bread, and drink no water; your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers. 23It happened, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the donkey, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24When he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and killed him: and his body was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it; the lion also stood by the body. 25Behold, men passed by, and saw the body cast in the way, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. 26When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh: therefore Yahweh has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him, and slain him, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke to him. 27He spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me the donkey. They saddled it. 28He went and found his body cast in the way, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body: the lion had not eaten the body, nor torn the donkey. 29The prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it on the donkey, and brought it back; and he came to the city of the old prophet, to mourn, and to bury him. 30He laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! 31It happened, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. 32For the saying which he cried by the word of Yahweh against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely happen. 33After this thing Jeroboam didn’t return from his evil way, but made again from among all the people priests of the high places: whoever would, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places. 34This thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the surface of the earth.

Chapter 14

1At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2Jeroboam said to his wife, Please get up and disguise yourself, that you not be known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get you to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be king over this people. 3Take with you ten loaves, and cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him: he will tell you what shall become of the child. 4Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. 5Yahweh said to Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam comes to inquire of you concerning her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shall you tell her; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will feign herself to be another woman. 6It was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, you wife of Jeroboam; why feign you yourself to be another? for I am sent to you with heavy news. 7Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over my people Israel, 8and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it you; and yet you have not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in my eyes, 9but have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made you other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back: 10therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every boy, him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung, until it be all gone. 11Him who dies of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him who dies in the field shall the birds of the sky eat: for Yahweh has spoken it. 12Arise you therefore, get you to your house: and when your feet enter into the city, the child shall die. 13All Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 14Moreover Yahweh will raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now. 15For Yahweh will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking Yahweh to anger. 16He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he has sinned, and with which he has made Israel to sin. 17Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. 18All Israel buried him, and mourned for him, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet. 19The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 20The days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place. 21Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 22Judah did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree; 24and there were also sodomites in the land: they did according to all the abominations of the nations which Yahweh drove out before the children of Israel. 25It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; 26and he took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 27King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 28It was so, that as often as the king went into the house of Yahweh, the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard chamber. 29Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 30There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 15

1Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat began Abijam to reign over Judah. 2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father. 4Nevertheless for David’s sake did Yahweh his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem; 5because David did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and didn’t turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his place. 9In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Asa to reign over Judah. 10Forty-one years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as did David his father. 12He put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13Also Maacah his mother he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 14But the high places were not taken away: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days. 15He brought into the house of Yahweh the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 16There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants; and king Asa sent them to Ben Hadad, the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, 19There is a league between me and you, between my father and your father: behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 20Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah, and lived in Tirzah. 22Then king Asa made a proclamation to all Judah; none was exempted: and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha had built; and king Asa built therewith Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. 23Now 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. 24Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place. 25Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years. 26He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin. 27Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha kill him, and reigned in his place. 29It happened that, as soon as he was king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam: he didn’t leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him; according to the saying of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite; 30for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger. 31Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 33In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. 34He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.

Chapter 16

1The word of Yahweh came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2Because I exalted you out of the dust, and made you prince over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; 3behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4Him who dies of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him who dies of his in the field shall the birds of the sky eat. 5Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 6Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7Moreover by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Yahweh against Baasha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him. 8In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two years. 9His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah: 10and Zimri went in and struck him, and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 11It happened, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of Baasha: he didn’t leave him a single boy, neither of his relatives, nor of his friends. 12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and with which they made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. 14Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 15In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. 16The people who were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also struck the king: therefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18It happened, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died, 19for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. 20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. 22But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 23In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. 24He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria. 25Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him. 26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins with which he made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. 27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shown, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place. 29In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh above all that were before him. 31It happened, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. 32He reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation of it with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates of it with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

Chapter 17

1Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the foreigners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 2The word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 3Get you hence, and turn you eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. 4It shall be, that you shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. 5So he went and did according to the word of Yahweh; for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. 6The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. 7It happened after a while, that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. 8The word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 9Arise, get you to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you. 10So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, Please get me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11As she was going to get it, he called to her, and said, Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. 12She said, As Yahweh your God lives, I don’t have a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the jar: and behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13Elijah said to her, Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said; but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it forth to me, and afterward make for you and for your son. 14For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth. 15She went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, ate many days. 16The jar of meal didn’t empty, neither did the jar of oil fail, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Elijah. 17It happened after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18She said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son! 19He said to her, Give me your son. He took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him on his own bed. 20He cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son? 21He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, please let this child’s soul come into him again. 22Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, Behold, your son lives. 24The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.

Chapter 18

1It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth. 2Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was sore in Samaria. 3Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly: 4for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals. 6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah? 8He answered him, It is I: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 9He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 10As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you. 11Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 12It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me: but I your servant fear Yahweh from my youth. 13Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 14Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he will kill me. 15Elijah said, As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today. 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Israel? 18He answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and you have followed the Baals. 19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel’s table. 20So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel. 21Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people answered him not a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men. 23Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. 24You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh; and the God who answers by fire, let him be God.”

All the people answered, “It is well said.” 25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”

26They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any who answered. They leaped about the altar which was made. 27It happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud; for he is a god: either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleeps and must be awakened. 28They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. 29It was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening offering; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any who regarded. 30Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was thrown down. 31Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name. 32With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood. 34He said, Do it the second time; and they did it the second time. He said, Do it the third time; and they did it the third time. 35The water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36It happened at the time of the offering of the evening offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Yahweh, he is God; Yahweh, he is God. 40and Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal; don’t let one of them escape. They took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there. 41Elijah said to Ahab, Get you up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain. 42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees. 43He said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. He went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. He said, Go again seven times. 44It happened at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, Go up, tell Ahab, Make ready your chariot, and get you down, that the rain not stop you. 45It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel: 46and the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he girded up his waist, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Chapter 19

1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel send a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. 3When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat. 6He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drink, and laid him down again. 7The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. 8He arose, and ate and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God. 9He came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11He said, Go forth, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake: 12and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 14He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; 16and Jehu the son of Nimshi shall you anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah shall you anoint to be prophet in your room. 17It shall happen, that he who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha kill. 18Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him. 19So he departed there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over to him, and cast his mantle on him. 20He left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray you, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. He said to him, Go back again; for what have I done to you? 21He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.

Chapter 20

1Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. 2He sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, Thus says Ben Hadad, 3Your silver and your gold is mine; your wives also and your children, even the best, are mine. 4The king of Israel answered, It is according to your saying, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have. 5The messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Ben Hadad, saying, I sent indeed to you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children; 6but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away. 7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Please notice how this man seeks mischief: for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I didn’t deny him. 8All the elders and all the people said to him, Don’t you listen, neither consent. 9Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do. The messengers departed, and brought him word again. 10Ben Hadad sent to him, and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me. 11The king of Israel answered, Tell him, Don’t let him who girds on his armor boast himself as he who puts it off. 12It happened, when Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, Set yourselves in array. They set themselves in array against the city. 13Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus says Yahweh, Have you seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I am Yahweh. 14Ahab said, By whom? He said, Thus says Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? He answered, You. 15Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two: and after them he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. 16They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben Hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out from Samaria. 18He said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive. 19So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20They killed everyone his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter. 22The prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said to him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you. 23The 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 us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24Do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their room; 25and number you an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. He listened to their voice, and did so. 26It happened at the return of the year, that Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. 27The children of Israel were mustered, and were provisioned, and went against them: and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country. 28A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, Thus says Yahweh, Because the Syrians have said, Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys; therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am Yahweh. 29They encamped one over against the other seven days. So it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed of the Syrians one hundred thousand footmen in one day. 30But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber. 31His servants said to him, See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, we pray you, put sackcloth on our bodies, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save your life. 32So they girded sackcloth on their bodies, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Ben Hadad says, please let me live. He said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. 33Now the men observed diligently, and hurried to catch whether it were his mind; and they said, Your brother Ben Hadad. Then he said, Go you, bring him. Then Ben Hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34Ben Hadad said to him, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you shall make streets for you in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. I, said Ahab, will let you go with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and let him go. 35A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the word of Yahweh, Please strike me. The man refused to strike him. 36Then said he to him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall kill you. As soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and killed him. 37Then he found another man, and said, Please strike me. The man struck him, smiting and wounding him. 38So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes. 39As the king passed by, he cried to the king; and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver. 40As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. The king of Israel said to him, So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it. 41He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. 42He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people. 43The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria.

Chapter 21

1It happened after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it: or, if it seem good to you, I will give you the worth of it in money. 3Naboth said to Ahab, Yahweh forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you. 4Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers. He laid him down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. 5But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, Why is your spirit so sad, that you eat no bread? 6He said to her, Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give you my vineyard. 7Jezebel his wife said to him, Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be merry: I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, and who lived with Naboth. 9She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, You did curse God and the king. Then carry him out, and stone him to death. 11The men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, according as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. 12They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13The two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him: and the base fellows bore witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did curse God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him to death with stones. 14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. 15It happened, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16It happened, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 17The word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwells in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he is gone down to take possession of it. 19You shall speak to him, saying, Thus says Yahweh, Have you killed and also taken possession? You shall speak to him, saying, Thus says Yahweh, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your blood, even yours. 20Ahab said to Elijah, Have you found me, my enemy? He answered, I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh. 21Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab every boy, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel: 22and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin. 23Of Jezebel also spoke Yahweh, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. 24Him who dies of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him who dies in the field shall the birds of the sky eat. 25(But there was none like Ahab, who did sell himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26He did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.) 27It happened, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28The word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29See you how Ahab humbles himself before me? because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son’s days will I bring the evil on his house.

Chapter 22

1They continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2It happened in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3The king of Israel said to his servants, “You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we are still, and don’t take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” 4He said to Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead? Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. 5Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh. 6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king. 7But Jehoshaphat said, Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him? 8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.” 9Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Get quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah. 10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Yahweh, With these shall you push the Syrians, until they be consumed. 12All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. 13The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, See now, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak you good. 14Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that will I speak. 15When he was come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? He answered him, Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. 16The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh? 17He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Yahweh said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace. 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? 19Micaiah said, Therefore hear you the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20Yahweh said, Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? One said on this manner; and another said on that manner. 21There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him. 22Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.’ 23Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you. 24Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you? 25Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself. 26The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 27and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. 28Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you. 29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put you on your robes. The king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. 31Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 32It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel; and they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34A certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the army; for I am severely wounded. 35The battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. 36There went a cry throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his country. 37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. 38They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood (now the prostitutes washed themselves there); according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke. 39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. 41Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43He walked in all the way of Asa his father; He didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh: however the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 44Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. 45Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shown, and how he warred, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46The remnant of the sodomites, that remained in the days of his father Asa, he put away out of the land. 47There was no king in Edom: a deputy was king. 48Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they didn’t go; for the ships were broken at Ezion Geber. 49Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with your servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not. 50Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 51Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. 52He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, in which he made Israel to sin. 53He served Baal, and worshiped him, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

The Second Book of Kings

Chapter 1

1Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this sickness. 3But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? 4Now therefore thus says Yahweh, You shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die. Elijah departed. 5The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it that you have returned? 6They said to him, There came up a man to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king who sent you, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die. 7He said to them, What manner of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words? 8They answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a belt of leather about his waist. He said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 9Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up to him: and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He spoke to him, man of God, the king has said, Come down. 10Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty. Fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty. 11Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. He answered him, man of God, thus has the king said, Come down quickly. 12Elijah answered them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty. The fire of God came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty. 13Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight. 14Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight. 15The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, Go down with him: don’t be afraid of him. He arose, and went down with him to the king. 16He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die. 17So he died according to the word of Yahweh which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began to reign in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. 18Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Chapter 2

1It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. 3The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?”

He said, “Yes, I know it; hold your peace.”

4Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. 5The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?”

He answered, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.”

6Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan.”

He said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” They two went on. 7Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by the Jordan. 8Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they two went over on dry ground. 9It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit be on me. 10He said, You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be so. 11It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it! He saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces. 13He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah? and when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha went over. 15When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16They said to him, See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master, lest the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up, and cast him on some mountain, or into some valley. He said, You shall not send. 17When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but didn’t find him. 18They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go?’” 19The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries. 20He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein. They brought it to him. 21He went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying. 22So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. 23He went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, you baldy; go up, you baldhead. 24He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty-two of those youths. 25He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Chapter 3

1Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn’t depart from it. 4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he rendered to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams. 5But it happened, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. 7He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? He said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. 8He said, Which way shall we go up? He answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom. 9So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. 10The king of Israel said, Alas! for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 11But Jehoshaphat said, Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him? One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12Jehoshaphat said, The word of Yahweh is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. The king of Israel said to him, No; for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14Elisha said, As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you. 15But now bring me a minstrel. It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Yahweh came on him. 16He said, Thus says Yahweh, Make this valley full of trenches. 17For thus says Yahweh, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and you shall drink, both you and your livestock and your animals. 18This is but a light thing in the sight of Yahweh: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. 20It happened in the morning, about the time of offering the offering, that behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border. 22They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood: 23and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24When 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 smiting the Moabites. 25They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth only they left the stones of it; however the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it. 26When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

Chapter 4

1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant did fear Yahweh: and the creditor is come to take to him my two children to be bondservants. 2Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? tell me; what have you in the house? She said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil. 3Then he said, Go, borrow you vessels abroad of all your neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 4You shall go in, and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour out into all those vessels; and you shall set aside that which is full. 5So she went from him, and shut the door on her and on her sons; they brought the vessels to her, and she poured out. 6It happened, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, Bring me yet a vessel. He said to her, There isn’t another vessel. The oil stayed. 7Then she came and told the man of God. He said, Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt, and live you and your sons of the rest. 8It fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. 9She said to her husband, See now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, that passes by us continually. 10Let us make, Please, a little chamber on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a seat, and a lamp stand: and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he shall turn in there. 11It fell on a day, that he came there, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. 12He said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. When he had called her, she stood before him. 13He said to him, Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for you? would you be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the army? She answered, I dwell among my own people. 14He said, What then is to be done for her? Gehazi answered, Most assuredly she has no son, and her husband is old. 15He said, Call her. When he had called her, she stood in the door. 16He said, At this season, when the time comes round, you shall embrace a son. She said, No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid. 17The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said to her. 18When the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19He said to his father, My head, my head. He said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. 20When he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. 21She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door on him, and went out. 22She called to her husband, and said, Please send me one of the servants, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 23He said, Why will you go to him today? it is neither new moon nor Sabbath. She said, It shall be well. 24Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; don’t slacken me the riding, except I bid you. 25So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. It happened, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite: 26please run now to meet her, and ask her, Is it well with you? is it well with your husband? is it well with the child? She answered, It is well. 27When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within her; and Yahweh has hid it from me, and has not told me. 28Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Didn’t I say, Do not deceive me? 29Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up your waist, and take my staff in your hand, and go your way: if you meet any man, Don’t greet him; and if anyone greets you, don’t answer him again: and lay my staff on the face of the child. 30The mother of the child said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose, and followed her. 31Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child has not awakened. 32When Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid on his bed. 33He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. 34He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands: and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child grew warm. 35Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself on him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36He called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. When she was come in to him, he said, Take up your son. 37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out. 38Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets. 39One went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered of it wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of stew; for they didn’t recognize them. 40So they poured out for the men to eat. It happened, as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out, and said, man of God, there is death in the pot. They could not eat of it. 41But he said, Then bring meal. He cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. There was no harm in the pot. 42There came a man from Baal Shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, Give to the people, that they may eat. 43His servant said, What, should I set this before a hundred men? But he said, Give the people, that they may eat; for thus says Yahweh, They shall eat, and shall leave of it. 44So he set it before them, and they ate, and left of it, according to the word of Yahweh.

Chapter 5

1Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy. 4One went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maiden who is of the land of Israel. 5The king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may recover him of his leprosy. 7It happened, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he tore his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man does send to me to recover a man of his leprosy? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me. 8It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Why have you torn your clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean. 11But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? how much rather then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean? 14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, please take a present from your servant. 16But he said, As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. He urged him to take it; but he refused. 17Naaman said, If not, yet, please let there be given to your servant two mules’ burden of earth; for your servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh. 18In this thing Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh pardon your servant in this thing. 19He said to him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way. 20But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 21So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 22He said, All is well. My master has sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; please give them a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing. 23Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they bore them before him. 24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed. 25But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, Whence come you, Gehazi? He said, Your servant went no where. 26He said to him, Didn’t my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants? 27The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave to you, and to your seed forever. He went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Chapter 6

1The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, See now, the place where we dwell before you is too strait for us. 2Let us go, we pray you, to the Jordan, and take there every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. He answered, Go you. 3One said, Be pleased, I pray you, to go with your servants. He answered, I will go. 4So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. 5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed. 6The man of God said, Where fell it? He shown him the place. He cut down a stick, and cast it in there, and made the iron to swim. 7He said, Take it up to you. So he put out his hand, and took it. 8Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you not pass such a place; for there the Syrians are coming down. 10The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice. 11The heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12One of his servants said, No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber. 13He said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him. It was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14Therefore sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great army: and they came by night, and surrounded the city. 15When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16He answered, Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. 17Elisha prayed, and said, Yahweh, Please open his eyes, that he may see. Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 18When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, Please smite this people with blindness. He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. He led them to Samaria. 20It happened, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Yahweh, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike them? 22He answered, You shall not strike them: would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23He prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. 24It happened after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria. 25There was a great famine in Samaria: and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. 26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, there cried a woman to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. 27He said, If Yahweh doesn’t help you, whence shall I help you? out of the threshing floor, or out of the winepress? 28The king said to her, What ails you? She answered, This woman said to me, Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. 29So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, Give your son, that we may eat him; and she has hid her son. 30It happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes (now he was passing by on the wall); and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within on his flesh. 31Then he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. 32But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him? 33While he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of Yahweh; why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?

Chapter 7

1Elisha said, Hear you the word of Yahweh: thus says Yahweh, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might this thing be? He said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it. 3Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? 4If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall to the army of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. 5They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there. 6For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army: and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come on us. 7Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. 8When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried there also, and went and hid it. 9Then they said one to another, We aren’t doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we hold our peace: if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household. 10So they came and called to the porter of the city; and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were. 11He called the porters; and they told it to the king’s household within. 12The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city. 13One of his servants answered, Please let some take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are consumed); and let us send and see. 14They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the army of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. 15They went after them to the Jordan: and behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king. 16The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh. 17The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18It happened, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria; 19and that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? and he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it: 20it happened even so to him; for the people trod on him in the gate, and he died.

Chapter 8

1Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn: for Yahweh has called for a famine; and it shall also come on the land seven years. 2The woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3It happened at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry to the king for her house and for her land. 4Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done. 5It happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, that behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now. 7Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come here. 8The king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Yahweh by him, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness? 9So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness? 10Elisha said to him, Go, tell him, You shall surely recover; however Yahweh has shown me that he shall surely die. 11He settled his gaze steadfastly on him, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. 12Hazael said, Why weeps my lord? He answered, Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: their strongholds will you set on fire, and their young men will you kill with the sword, and will dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child. 13Hazael said, But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing? Elisha answered, Yahweh has shown me that you shall be king over Syria. 14Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to you? He answered, He told me that you would surely recover. 15It happened on the next day, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his place. 16In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh. 19However Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always. 20In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, and the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to their tents. 22So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then did Libnah revolt at the same time. 23The rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. 25In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27He walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. 28He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Chapter 9

1Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Gird up your waist, and take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2When you come there, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brothers, and carry him to an inner chamber. 3Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed you king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and don’t wait. 4So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. 5When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to you, captain. Jehu said, To which of us all? He said, To you, O captain. 6He arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over Israel. 7You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every boy, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel. 9I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. He opened the door, and fled. 11Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said to him, Is all well? why came this mad fellow to you? He said to them, You know the man and what his talk was. 12They said, It is false; tell us now. He said, Thus and thus spoke he to me, saying, Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed you king over Israel. 13Then they hurried, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king. 14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria; 15but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) Jehu said, If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel. 16So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. 17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? 18So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? Jehu said, What have you to do with peace? turn you behind me. The watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he isn’t coming back. 19Then he sent out a second on horseback, who came to them, and said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? Jehu answered, What have you to do with peace? turn you behind me. 20The watchman told, saying, He came even to them, and isn’t coming back: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he drives furiously. 21Joram said, Make ready. They made ready his chariot. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22It happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? He answered, What peace, so long as the prostitution of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft abound? 23Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, Ahaziah. 24Jehu 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. 25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how that, when I and you rode together after Ahab his father, Yahweh laid this burden on him: 26Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, says Yahweh; and I will requite you in this plat, says Yahweh. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of Yahweh. 27But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot: and they struck him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo, and died there. 28His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David. 29In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. 30When Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window. 31As Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Is it peace, you Zimri, your master’s murderer? 32He lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? There looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33He said, Throw her down. So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trod her under foot. 34When he was come in, he ate and drink; and he said, See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter. 35They went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36Therefore they came back, and told him. He said, This is the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

Chapter 10

1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab, saying, 2Now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor; 3look you out the best and meet of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. 4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him: how then shall we stand? 5He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who brought up the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants, and will do all that you shall bid us; we will not make any man king: you do that which is good in your eyes. 6Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you be on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up. 7It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel. 8There came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. He said, Lay you them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning. 9It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, You are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these? 10Know now that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab: for Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah. 11So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. 12He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds in the way, 13Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are you? They answered, We are the brothers of Ahaziah: and we go down to Greet the children of the king and the children of the queen. 14He said, Take them alive. They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them. 15When he was departed there, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him, and said to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart? Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me your hand. He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16He said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh. So they made him ride in his chariot. 17When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke to Elijah. 18Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. 19Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 20Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal. They proclaimed it. 21Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. 22He said to him who was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. He brought them forth vestments. 23Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal; and he said to the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of Yahweh, but the worshippers of Baal only. 24They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said, If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him. 25It happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and kill them; let none come forth. They struck them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. 26They brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. 27They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day. 28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 29However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu didn’t depart from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan. 30Yahweh said to Jehu, Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 31But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin. 32In those days Yahweh began to cut off from Israel: and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel; 33from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. 34Now 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? 35Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Chapter 11

1Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 2But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain; 3He was with her hid in the house of Yahweh six years. Athaliah reigned over the land. 4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of Yahweh; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh, and shown them the king’s son. 5He commanded them, saying, This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; 6A third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall you keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. 7The two companies of you, even all who go forth on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh about the king. 8You shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain: and be you with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in. 9The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in the house of Yahweh. 11The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about. 12Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, Long live the king. 13When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh: 14and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, Treason! treason! 15Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, Have her forth between the ranks; and him who follows her kill with the sword. For the priest said, Don’t let her be slain in the house of Yahweh. 16So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house: and there was she slain. 17Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be Yahweh’s people; between the king also and the people. 18All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh. 19He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of Yahweh, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings. 20So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king’s house. 21Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.

Chapter 12

1In the seventh year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3However the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 4Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of Yahweh, in current money, the money of the persons for whom each man is rated, and all the money that it comes into any man’s heart to bring into the house of Yahweh, 5let the priests take it to them, every man from his acquaintance; and they shall repair the breaches of the house, wherever any breach shall be found. 6But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. 7Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said to them, Why don’t you repair the breaches of the house? now therefore take no more money from your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house. 8The priests consented that they should take no more money from the people, neither repair the breaches of the house. 9But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Yahweh: and the priests who kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh. 10It was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of Yahweh. 11They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh: and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, who worked on the house of Yahweh, 12and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of Yahweh, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13But there were not made for the house of Yahweh cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh; 14for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired therewith the house of Yahweh. 15Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully. 16The money for the trespass offerings, and the money for the sin offerings, was not brought into the house of Yahweh: it was the priests’. 17Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. 19Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. 21For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 13

1In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. 2He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn’t depart from it. 3The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, continually. 4Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them. 5(Yahweh gave Israel a savior, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before. 6Nevertheless they didn’t depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin, but walked therein: and there remained the Asherah also in Samaria.) 7For he didn’t leave to Jehoahaz of the people save fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing. 8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his place. 10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. 11He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; but he walked therein. 12Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 14Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died: and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it! 15Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows; and he took to him bow and arrows. 16He said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand on it. Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17He said, Open the window eastward; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot; and he shot. He said, Yahweh’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek, until you have consumed them. 18He said, Take the arrows; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, Smite on the ground; and he struck thrice, and stayed. 19The man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have struck five or six times: then had you struck Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Syria but thrice. 20Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. 21It happened, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band; and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha: and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet. 22Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet. 24Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his place. 25Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash strike him, and recovered the cities of Israel.

Chapter 14

1In the second year of Joash son of Joahaz king of Israel began Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah to reign. 2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. 3He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, yet not like David his father: he did according to all that Joash his father had done. 4However the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 5It happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father: 6but the children of the murderers he didn’t put to death; according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, as Yahweh commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin. 7He killed of Edom in the Valley of Salt ten thousand, and took Sela by war, and called the name of it Joktheel, to this day. 8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 9Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. 10You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up: glory of it, and abide at home; for why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you? 11But Amaziah would not hear. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. 13Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 14He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 15Now 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? 16Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place. 17Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 18Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 19They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. 20They brought him on horses; and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. 21All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 22He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years. 24He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: he didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. 25He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to the word of Yahweh, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath Hepher. 26For Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel. 27Yahweh didn’t say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. 28Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, 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? 29Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 15

1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. 2Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 3He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 4However the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 5Yahweh struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham the king’s son was over the household, judging the people of the land. 6Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 7Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his place. 8In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months. 9He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as his fathers had done: he didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. 10Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck him before the people, and killed him, and reigned in his place. 11Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 12This was the word of Yahweh which he spoke to Jehu, saying, Your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. So it came to pass. 13Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned the space of a month in Samaria. 14Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and killed him, and reigned in his place. 15Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 16Then Menahem struck Tiphsah, and all who were therein, and the borders of it, from Tirzah: because they didn’t open to him, therefore he struck it; and all the women therein who were with child he ripped up. 17In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. 18He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: he didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. 19There came against the land Pul the king of Assyria; and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. 20Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and didn’t stay there in the land. 21Now the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 22Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place. 23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. 24He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: he didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. 25Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him, and struck him in Samaria, in the castle of the king’s house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his place. 26Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 27In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. 28He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: he didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. 29In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel Beth Maacah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck him, and killed him, and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah. 31Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 32In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. 33He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. 35However the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh. 36Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 37In those days Yahweh began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. 38Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 16

1In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn’t do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh his God, like David his father. 3But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel. 4He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Syrians came to Elath, and lived there, to this day. 7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am your servant and your son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me. 8Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. 9The king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and killed Rezin. 10King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship of it. 11Urijah the priest built an altar: according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus, so did Urijah the priest make it against the coming of king Ahaz from Damascus. 12When the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king drew near to the altar, and offered thereon. 13He burnt his burnt offering and his meal offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, on the altar. 14The brazen altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house of Yahweh, and put it on the north side of his altar. 15King Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meal offering, and the king’s burnt offering, and his meal offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle on it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: but the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by. 16Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded. 17King Ahaz cut off the panels of the bases, and removed the basin from off them, and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it on a pavement of stone. 18The covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s entry outside, turned he to the house of Yahweh, because of the king of Assyria. 19Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 17

1In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, and reigned nine years. 2He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute. 4The king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. 5Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. 7It was so, because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made. 9The children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Yahweh their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city; 10and they set them up pillars and Asherim on every high hill, and under every green tree; 11and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them; and they worked wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger; 12and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them, You shall not do this thing. 13Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. 14Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn’t believe in Yahweh their God. 15They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom Yahweh had charged those who they should not do like them. 16They forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal. 17They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. 18Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 19Also Judah didn’t keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. 21For he tore Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following Yahweh, and made them sin a great sin. 22The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn’t depart from them; 23until Yahweh removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day. 24The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and lived in the cities of it. 25So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn’t fear Yahweh: therefore Yahweh sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which you have carried away, and placed in the cities of Samaria, don’t know the law of the god of the land: therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land. 27Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land. 28So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear Yahweh. 29However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32So they feared Yahweh, and made to them from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33They feared Yahweh, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. 34To this day they do after the former manner: they don’t fear Yahweh, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law or after the commandment which Yahweh commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 35with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: 36but Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, him shall you fear, and to him shall you bow yourselves, and to him shall you sacrifice: 37and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore; and you shall not fear other gods: 38and the covenant that I have made with you you shall not forget; neither shall you fear other gods: 39but Yahweh your God shall you fear; and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 40However they did not listen, but they did after their former manner. 41So these nations feared Yahweh, and served their engraved images; their children likewise, and their children’s children, as did their fathers, so do they to this day.

Chapter 18

1Now it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that David his father had done. 4He removed the high places, and broke the pillars, and cut down the Asherah: and he broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for to those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Nehushtan. 5He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him. 6For he joined with Yahweh; he didn’t depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses. 7Yahweh was with him; wherever he went forth he prospered: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him. 8He struck the Philistines to Gaza and the borders of it, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city. 9It happened in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. 10At the end of three years they took it: in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11The king of Assyria carried Israel away to Assyria, and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12because they didn’t obey the voice of Yahweh their God, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it. 13Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. 14Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which you put on me will I bear. The king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasures of the king’s house. 16At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of Yahweh, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. 17The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field. 18When they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. 19Rabshakeh said to them, Say you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust? 20You say (but they are but vain words), There is counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me? 21Now, behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed, even on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him. 22But if you tell me, We trust in Yahweh our God; isn’t that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 23Now therefore, Please give pledges 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. 24How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25Am I now come up without Yahweh against this place to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. 26Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, to Rabshakeh, Please speak to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and don’t speak with us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people who are on the wall. 27But Rabshakeh said to them, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? Hasn’t he sent me to the men who sit on the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you? 28Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spoke, saying, Hear you the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. 29Thus says the king, Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 30neither let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 31Don’t listen to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make your peace with me, and come out to me; and eat you everyone of his vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and everyone drink the waters of his own cistern; 32Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and of honey, that you may live, and not die: and don’t listen to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, Yahweh will deliver us. 33Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 35Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? 36But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, saying, Don’t answer him. 37Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

Chapter 19

1It happened, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of Yahweh. 2He sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3They said to him, Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of rejection; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. 4It may be Yahweh your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master has sent to defy the living God, and will rebuke the words which Yahweh your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. 5So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6Isaiah said to them, Thus shall you tell your master, Thus says Yahweh, Don’t be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he shall hear news, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 8So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9When he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against you, he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying, 10Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Don’t let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shall you be delivered? 12Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden that were in Telassar? 13Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? 14Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of Yahweh, and spread it before Yahweh. 15Hezekiah prayed before Yahweh, and said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sit above the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16Incline your ear, Yahweh, and hear; open your eyes, Yahweh, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, with which he has sent him to defy the living God. 17Of a truth, Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. 19Now therefore, Yahweh our God, save you us, I beg you, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you Yahweh are God alone. 20Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Whereas you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you. 21This is the word that Yahweh 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. 22Whom have you defied and blasphemed? and against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 23By your messengers you have defied the Lord, and have said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars of it, and the choice fir trees of it; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field. 24I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt. 25Haven’t you heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should be yours to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps. 26Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as grain blasted before it is grown up. 27But I know your sitting down, and your going out, and your coming in, and your raging against me. 28Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance is come up into my ears, therefore will I 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. 29This shall be the sign to you: You shall eat this year that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs of the same; and in the third year sow you, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of it. 30The remnant that has escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion those who shall escape: the zeal of Yahweh shall perform this. 32Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come to this city, nor shoot an arrow there, neither shall he come before it with shield, nor cast up a mound against it. 33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and he shall not come to this city, says Yahweh. 34For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 35It happened that night, that the angel of Yahweh went forth, and struck in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred eighty-five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and lived at Nineveh. 37It happened, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 20

1In those days was Hezekiah sick to death. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Set your house in order: for you shall die, and not live. 2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying, 3Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight. Hezekiah wept sore. 4It happened, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 5Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus says Yahweh, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears: behold, I will heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of Yahweh. 6I will add to your days fifteen years; and I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 7Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. They took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8Hezekiah said to Isaiah, What shall be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of Yahweh the third day? 9Isaiah said, This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps? 10Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. 11Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz. 12At that time Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13Hezekiah listened to them, and shown them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them. 14Then came Isaiah the prophet to king Hezekiah, and said to him, What said these men? and from whence came they to you? Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. 15He said, What have they seen in your house? Hezekiah answered, All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them. 16Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the word of Yahweh. 17Behold, the days come, that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, says Yahweh. 18Of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you shall father, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 19Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of Yahweh which you have spoken. He said moreover, Isn’t it so, if peace and truth shall be in my days? 20Now 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? 21Hezekiah slept with his fathers; and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 21

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them. 4He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. 5He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh. 6He made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. 7He set the engraved image of Asherah, that he had made, in the house of which Yahweh said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever; 8neither will I cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, if only they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. 9But they didn’t listen: and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel. 10Yahweh spoke by his servants the prophets, saying, 11Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, and has done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols; 12therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Behold, I bring such evil on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears shall tingle. 13I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; 15because they have done that which is evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even to this day. 16Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin with which he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh. 17Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 18Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his place. 19Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father. 21He walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshiped them: 22and he forsook Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and didn’t walk in the way of Yahweh. 23The servants of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house. 24But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. 25Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 26He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 22

1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 3It happened in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of Yahweh, saying, 4Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the money which is brought into the house of Yahweh, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people: 5and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh; and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of Yahweh, to repair the breaches of the house, 6to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 7However there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand; for they dealt faithfully. 8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh. Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of Yahweh. 10Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. Shaphan read it before the king. 11It happened, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. 12The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 13Go you, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us. 14So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her. 15She said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Tell you the man who sent you to me, 16Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on the inhabitants of it, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched. 18But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus shall you tell him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: As touching the words which you have heard, 19because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh. 20Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil which I will bring on this place. They brought the king word again.

Chapter 23

1The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of Yahweh. 3The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant. 4The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the temple of Yahweh all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the army of the sky, and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel. 5He put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the army of the sky. 6He brought out the Asherah from the house of Yahweh, outside of Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and beat it to dust, and cast the dust of it on the graves of the common people. 7He broke down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of Yahweh, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. 8He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city. 9Nevertheless the priests of the high places didn’t come up to the altar of Yahweh in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 10He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. 11He took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Yahweh, by the chamber of Nathan Melech the chamberlain, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12The altars that were on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, did the king break down, and beat them down from there, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. 13The high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. 14He broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and filled their places with the bones of men. 15Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down; and he burned the high place and beat it to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16As Josiah turned himself, he spied the tombs that were there in the mountain; and he sent, and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to the word of Yahweh which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17Then he said, What monument is that which I see? The men of the city told him, It is the tomb of the man of God, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar of Bethel. 18He said, Let him be; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria. 19All the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Yahweh to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel. 20He killed all the priests of the high places that were there, on the altars, and burned men’s bones on them; and he returned to Jerusalem. 21The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover to Yahweh your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant. 22Surely there was not kept such a Passover from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this Passover kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem. 24Moreover those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Yahweh. 25Like him was there no king before him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. 26Notwithstanding, Yahweh didn’t turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, with which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocation with which Manasseh had provoked him. 27Yahweh said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there. 28Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and Pharaoh Necoh killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. 30His servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s place. 31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that his fathers had done. 33Pharaoh Necoh put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of one hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34Pharaoh Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim: but he took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt, and died there. 35Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of everyone according to his taxation, to give it to Pharaoh Necoh. 36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that his fathers had done.

Chapter 24

1In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. 2Yahweh sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3Surely at the commandment of Yahweh came this on Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, 4and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: and Yahweh would not pardon. 5Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7The king of Egypt didn’t come again out of his land any more; for the king of Babylon had taken, from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates, all that pertained to the king of Egypt. 8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned in Jerusalem three months: and his mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that his father had done. 10At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it; 12and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 13He carried out there all the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of Yahweh, as Yahweh had said. 14He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 15He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the chief men of the land, carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s father’s brother, king is his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20For through the anger of Yahweh did it happen in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Chapter 25

1It happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 4Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and the king went by the way of the Arabah. 5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 6Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment on him. 7They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 8Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, to Jerusalem. 9He burnt the house of Yahweh, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burnt he with fire. 10All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11The residue of the people who were left in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive. 12But the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields. 13The pillars of brass that were in the house of Yahweh, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Yahweh, did the Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14The pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered, took they away. 15The fire pans, and the basins, that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the house of Yahweh, the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of brass was on it; and the height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital round about, all of brass: and like to these had the second pillar with network. 18The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: 19and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and five men of those who saw the king’s face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city. 20Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 21The king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land. 22As for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor. 23Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 24Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them, Don’t be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 25But it happened in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal seed came, and ten men with him, and struck Gedaliah, so that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah. 26All the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. 27It happened in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 28and he spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon, 29and changed his prison garments. Jehoiachin ate bread before him continually all the days of his life: 30and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him of the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.

The First Book of Chronicles

Chapter 1

1Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 5The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 6The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, and Diphath, and Togarmah. 7The sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. 8The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 9The sons of Cush: Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raama, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba, and Dedan. 10Cush became the father of Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 11Mizraim became the father of Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 12and Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whence came the Philistines), and Caphtorim. 13Canaan became the father of Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 14and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, 15and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 16and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. 17The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. 18Arpachshad became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber. 19To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 20Joktan became the father of Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 21and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 22and Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 23and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 24Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, 25Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26Serug, Nahor, Terah, 27Abram (the same is Abraham). 28The sons of Abraham: Isaac, and Ishmael. 29These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 30Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema, 31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba, and Dedan. 33The sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah. 34Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau, and Israel. 35The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jalam, and Korah. 36The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek. 37The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. 38The sons of Seir: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan. 39The sons of Lotan: Hori, and Homam; and Timna was Lotan’s sister. 40The sons of Shobal: Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah, and Anah. 41The sons of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hamran, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. 42The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, and Zaavan, Jaakan. The sons of Dishan: Uz, and Aran. 43Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before there resigned any king over the children of Israel: Bela the son of Beor; and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 44Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. 47Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place. 49Shaul died, and Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 50Baal Hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pai: and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51Hadad died. The chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief Aliah, chief Jetheth, 52chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 53chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 54chief Magdiel, chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom.

Chapter 2

1These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, 2Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 3The sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah; which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh; and he killed him. 4Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. 5The sons of Perez: Hezron, and Hamul. 6The sons of Zerah: Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara; five of them in all. 7The sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who committed a trespass in the devoted thing. 8The sons of Ethan: Azariah. 9The sons also of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai. 10Ram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah; 11and Nahshon became the father of Salma, and Salma became the father of Boaz, 12and Boaz became the father of Obed, and Obed became the father of Jesse; 13and Jesse became the father of his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimea the third, 14Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; 16and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three. 17Abigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. 18Caleb the son of Hezron became the father of children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. 19Azubah died, and Caleb took to him Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel. 21Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he took as wife when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub. 22Segub became the father of Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. 23Geshur and Aram took the towns of Jair from them, with Kenath, and the villages of it, even sixty cities. All these were the sons of Machir the father of Gilead. 24After that Hezron was dead in Caleb Ephrathah, then Abijah Hezron’s wife bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa. 25The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, Ahijah. 26Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker. 28The sons of Onam were Shammai, and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab, and Abishur. 29The name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail; and she bore him Ahban, and Molid. 30The sons of Nadab: Seled, and Appaim; but Seled died without children. 31The sons of Appaim: Ishi. The sons of Ishi: Sheshan. The sons of Sheshan: Ahlai. 32The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai: Jether, and Jonathan; and Jether died without children. 33The sons of Jonathan: Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel. 34Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha. 35Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as wife; and she bore him Attai. 36Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan became the father of Zabad, 37and Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal became the father of Obed, 38and Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu became the father of Azariah, 39and Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez became the father of Eleasah, 40and Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai became the father of Shallum, 41and Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah became the father of Elishama. 42The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron. 43The sons of Hebron: Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema. 44Shema became the father of Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. 45The son of Shammai was Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth Zur. 46Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, and Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. 47The sons of Jahdai: Regem, and Jothan, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph. 48Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. 49She bore also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbena, and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. 50These were the sons of Caleb, the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim, 51Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Beth Gader. 52Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim had sons: Haroeh, half of the Menuhoth. 53The families of Kiriath Jearim: The Ithrites, and the Puthites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. 54The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, and the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. 55The families of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.

Chapter 3

1Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; 2the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; 3the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife: 4six were born to him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months. In Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years; 5and these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel; 6and Ibhar, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, 7and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 8and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister. 10Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, 11Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 14Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15The sons of Josiah: the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. 16The sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son. 17The sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, 18and Malchiram, and Pedaiah, and Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel, and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam, and Hananiah; and Shelomith was their sister; 20and Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushab Hesed, five. 21The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah, and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. 22The sons of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. The sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, and Igal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six. 23The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, and Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. 24The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Delaiah, and Anani, seven.

Chapter 4

1The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. 2Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath; and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. 3These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi; 4and Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. 5Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 7The sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan. 8Hakkoz became the father of Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. 9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers: and his mother named him Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow. 10Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested. 11Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These are the men of Recah. 13The sons of Kenaz: Othniel, and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath. 14Meonothai became the father of Ophrah: and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge Harashim; for they were craftsmen. 15The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the sons of Elah; and Kenaz. 16The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17The sons of Ezrah: Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon; and she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took. 19The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. 20The sons of Shimon: Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth. 21The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea; 22and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. The records are ancient. 23These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: there they lived with the king for his work. 24The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; 25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. 26The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. 27Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers didn’t have many children, neither did all their family multiply like the children of Judah. 28They lived at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual, 29and at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad, 30and at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag, 31and at Beth Marcaboth, and Hazar Susim, and at Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities to the reign of David. 32Their villages were Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities; 33and all their villages that were round about the same cities, to Baal. These were their habitations, and they have their genealogy. 34Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah, 35and Joel, and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36and Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah, 37and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah„ 38these mentioned by name were princes in their families: and their fathers’ houses increased greatly. 39They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. 40They found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for those who lived there before were of Ham. 41These written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and struck their tents, and the Meunim who were found there, and destroyed them utterly to this day, and lived in their place; because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42Some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. 43They struck the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day.

Chapter 5

1The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. 2For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and of him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph’s:) 3the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites. 7His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon: 9and eastward he lived even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead. 10In 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. 11The sons of Gad lived over against them, in the land of Bashan to Salecah: 12Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13Their brothers of their fathers’ houses: Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zia, and Eber, seven. 14These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 15Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers’ houses. 16They lived in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders. 17All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. 18The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, that were able to go forth to war. 19They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab. 20They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him. 21They took away their livestock; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand. 22For there fell many slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity. 23The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon. 24These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ houses. 25They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

Chapter 6

1The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. 3The children of Amram: Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 4Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua, 5and Abishua became the father of Bukki, and Bukki became the father of Uzzi, 6and Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth, 7Meraioth became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub, 8and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz, 9and Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Johanan, 10and Johanan became the father of Azariah, (he it is who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem), 11and Azariah became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub, 12and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Shallum, 13and Shallum became the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah became the father of Azariah, 14and Azariah became the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak; 15Jehozadak went into captivity, when Yahweh carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. 16The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. 17These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. 18The sons of Kohath were Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. 19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses. 20Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, 21Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. 22The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, 23Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son, 24Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. 25The sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth. 26As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, and Nahath his son, 27Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. 28The sons of Samuel: the firstborn Joel, and the second Abijah. 29The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, 30Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son. 31These are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of Yahweh, after that the ark had rest. 32They ministered with song before the tent of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order. 33These are those who waited, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. 39His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, 40the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, 41the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. 44On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, 45the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, 47the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. 48Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tent of the house of God. 49But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. 50These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, 51Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, 52Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, 53Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son. 54Now these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot), 55to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs of it round about it; 56but the fields of the city, and the villages of it, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 57To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs, 58and Hilen with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs, 59and Ashan with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs; 60and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its suburbs, and Allemeth with its suburbs, and Anathoth with its suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities. 61To the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities. 62To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. 63To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 64The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their suburbs. 65They gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name. 66Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim. 67They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs, 68and Jokmeam with its suburbs, and Beth Horon with its suburbs, 69and Aijalon with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs; 70and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its suburbs, and Bileam with its suburbs, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath. 71To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, and Ashtaroth with its suburbs; 72and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs, 73and Ramoth with its suburbs, and Anem with its suburbs; 74and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its suburbs, and Abdon with its suburbs, 75and Hukok with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs; 76and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, and Hammon with its suburbs, and Kiriathaim with its suburbs. 77To the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono with its suburbs, Tabor with its suburbs; 78and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its suburbs, and Jahzah with its suburbs, 79and Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs; 80and out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, and Mahanaim with its suburbs, 81and Heshbon with its suburbs, and Jazer with its suburbs.

Chapter 7

1Of the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. 2The sons of Tola: Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers’ houses, to wit, of Tola; mighty men of valor in their generations: their number in the days of David was twenty-two thousand six hundred. 3The sons of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Isshiah, five; all of them chief men. 4With 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. 5Their brothers among all the families of Issachar, mighty men of valor, reckoned in all by genealogy, were eighty-seven thousand. 6The sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three. 7The sons of Bela: Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor; and they were reckoned by genealogy twenty-two thousand thirty-four. 8The sons of Becher: Zemirah, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jeremoth, and Abijah, and Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. 9They were reckoned by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand two hundred. 10The sons of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor, seventeen thousand and two hundred, who were able to go forth in the army for war. 12Shuppim also, and Huppim, the sons of Ir, Hushim, the sons of Aher. 13The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah. 14The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his concubine the Aramitess bore: she bore Machir the father of Gilead: 15and Machir took a wife of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister’s name was Maacah; and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad had daughters. 16Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17The sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18His sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod, and Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19The sons of Shemida were Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam. 20The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eleadah his son, and Tahath his son, 21and Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock. 22Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him. 23He went in to his wife, and she conceived, and bore a son, and he named him Beriah, because it went evil with his house. 24His daughter was Sheerah, who built Beth Horon the lower and the upper, and Uzzen Sheerah. 25Rephah was his son, and Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, 26Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27Nun his son, Joshua his son. 28Their possessions and habitations were Bethel and the towns of it, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns of it; Shechem also and the towns of it, to Azzah and the towns of it; 29and by the borders of the children of Manasseh, Beth Shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, Dor and its towns. In these lived the children of Joseph the son of Israel. 30The sons of Asher: Imnah, and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. 31The sons of Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. 32Heber became the father of Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their sister. 33The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet. 34The sons of Shemer: Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. 35The sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal. 36The sons of Zophah: Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah, 37Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and Beera. 38The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, and Pispa, and Ara. 39The sons of Ulla: Arah, and Hanniel, and Rizia. 40All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes. The number of them reckoned by genealogy for service in war was twenty-six thousand men.

Chapter 8

1Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third, 2Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. 3Bela had sons: Addar, and Gera, and Abihud, 4and Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, 5and Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. 6These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers’ houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them captive to Manahath: 7and Naaman, and Ahijah, and Gera, he carried them captive: and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. 8Shaharaim became the father of children in the field of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives. 9He became the father of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcam, 10and Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ houses. 11Of Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. 12The sons of Elpaal: Eber, and Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with the towns of it; 13and Beriah, and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath; 14and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 15and Zebadiah, and Arad, and Eder, 16and Michael, and Ishpah, and Joha, the sons of Beriah, 17and Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hizki, and Heber, 18and Ishmerai, and Izliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal, 19and Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi, 20and Elienai, and Zillethai, and Eliel, 21and Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of Shimei, 22and Ishpan, and Eber, and Eliel, 23and Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, 24and Hananiah, and Elam, and Anthothijah, 25and Iphdeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak, 26and Shamsherai, and Shehariah, and Athaliah, 27and Jaareshiah, and Elijah, and Zichri, the sons of Jeroham. 28These were heads of fathers’ houses throughout their generations, chief men: these lived in Jerusalem. 29In Gibeon there lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife’s name was Maacah; 30and his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, 31and Gedor, and Ahio, and Zecher. 32Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. They also lived with their brothers in Jerusalem, over against their brothers. 33Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul; and Saul became the father of Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 34The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal; and Merib Baal became the father of Micah. 35The sons of Micah: Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz. 36Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. 37Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 38Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. 39The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. 40The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.

Chapter 9

1So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel: and Judah was carried away captive to Babylon for their disobedience. 2Now the first inhabitants who lived in their possessions in their cities were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim. 3In Jerusalem lived of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: 4Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Perez the son of Judah. 5Of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. 6Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel, and their brothers, six hundred ninety. 7Of the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah, 8and Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9and their brothers, according to their generations, nine hundred fifty-six. All these men were heads of fathers’ houses by their fathers’ houses. 10Of the priests: Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11and Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God; 12and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13and their brothers, heads of their fathers’ houses, one thousand seven hundred sixty; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God. 14Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15and Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph, 16and Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites. 17The porters: Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief), 18who hitherto waited in the king’s gate eastward: they were the porters for the camp of the children of Levi. 19Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent: and their fathers had been over the camp of Yahweh, keepers of the entry. 20Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and Yahweh was with him. 21Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tent of meeting. 22All these who were chosen to be porters in the thresholds were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their office of trust. 23So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of Yahweh, even the house of the tent, by wards. 24On the four sides were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. 25Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them: 26for the four chief porters, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. 27They lodged round about the house of God, because the charge of it was on them; and to them pertained the opening of it morning by morning. 28Certain of them had charge of the vessels of service; for by count were these brought in and by count were these taken out. 29Some of them also were appointed over the furniture, and over all the vessels of the sanctuary, and over the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices. 30Some of the sons of the priests prepared the confection of the spices. 31Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things that were baked in pans. 32Some of their brothers, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the show bread, to prepare it every Sabbath. 33These are the singers, heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lived in the chambers and were free from other service; for they were employed in their work day and night. 34These were heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, throughout their generations, chief men: these lived at Jerusalem. 35In Gibeon there lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, whose wife’s name was Maacah: 36and his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab, 37and Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. They also lived with their brothers in Jerusalem, over against their brothers. 39Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul; and Saul became the father of Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 40The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal; and Merib Baal became the father of Micah. 41The sons of Micah: Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz. 42Ahaz became the father of Jarah; and Jarah became the father of Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza; 43and Moza became the father of Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 44Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons of Azel.

Chapter 10

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3The battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers. 4Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it. 5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died. 6So Saul died, and his three sons; and all his house died together. 7When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them. 8It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9They stripped him, and took his head, and his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the news to their idols, and to the people. 10They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon. 11When all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. 13So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh, which he didn’t keep; and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire thereby, 14and didn’t inquire of Yahweh: therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

Chapter 11

1Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yahweh your God said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel. 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Yahweh by Samuel. 4David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (the same is Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, You shall not come in here. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. 6David said, Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief. 7David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David. 8He built the city round about, from Millo even round about; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh of Armies was with him. 10Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who shown themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. 11This 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. 12After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 13He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14They stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by a great victory. 15Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 18The three 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 David would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh, 19and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. 20Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 21Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain: however he didn’t attain to the first three. 22Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 23He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and 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. 24These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. 25Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the first three: and David set him over his guard. 26Also the mighty men of the armies: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Chapter 12

1Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. 2They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow: they were of Saul’s brothers of Benjamin. 3The chief was Ahiezer; then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, and Jehu the Anathothite, 4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite, 5Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites, 7and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8Of the Gadites there separated themselves to David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes on the mountains; 9Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. 14These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand. 15These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. 16There came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David. 17David went out to meet them, and answered them, If you be come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if you be come to betray me to my adversaries, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 18Then 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. 19Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they didn’t help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, He will fall away to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads. 20As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh. 21They helped David against the band of rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army. 22For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God. 23These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Yahweh. 24The children of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war. 25Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred. 26Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. 27Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron; and with him were three thousand and seven hundred, 28and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains. 29Of the children of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30Of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31Of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king. 32Of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their commandment. 33Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, with all manner of instruments of war, fifty thousand, and who could order the battle array, and were not of double heart. 34Of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand. 35Of the Danites who could set the battle in array, twenty-eight thousand six hundred. 36Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, forty thousand. 37On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, one hundred twenty thousand. 38All these being men of war, who could order the battle array, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. 39They were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, food of meal, cakes of figs, and clusters of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep in abundance: for there was joy in Israel.

Chapter 13

1David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader. 2David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seem good to you, and if it be of Yahweh our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have suburbs, that they may gather themselves to us; 3and let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we didn’t seek it in the days of Saul. 4All the assembly said that they would do so; for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor the brook of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 6David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God Yahweh that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name. 7They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8David and all Israel played before God with all their might, even with songs, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with tambourines, and with cymbals, and with trumpets. 9When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzza, and he struck him, because he put forth his hand to the ark; and there he died before God. 11David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken forth on Uzza; and he called that place Perez Uzza, to this day. 12David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of God home to me? 13So David didn’t move the ark to him into the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months: and Yahweh blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that he had.

Chapter 14

1Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him a house. 2David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel; for his kingdom was exalted on high, for his people Israel’s sake. 3David took more wives at Jerusalem; and David became the father of more sons and daughters. 4These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, 5and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpelet, 6and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 7and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphelet. 8When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David: and David heard of it, and went out against them. 9Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. 10David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and will you deliver them into my hand? Yahweh said to him, Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand. 11So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the breach of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 12They left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire. 13The Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. 14David inquired again of God; and God said to him, You shall not go up after them: turn away from them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees. 15It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle; for God is gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines. 16David did as God commanded him: and they struck the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. 17The fame of David went out into all lands; and Yahweh brought the fear of him on all nations.

Chapter 15

1David made him houses in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 2Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them has Yahweh chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever. 3David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4David gathered together the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: 5of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, and his brothers one hundred twenty; 6of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred twenty; 7of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, and his brothers one hundred thirty; 8of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, and his brothers two hundred; 9of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, and his brothers eighty; 10of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, and his brothers one hundred twelve. 11David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, 12and said to them, You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both you and your brothers, that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13For because you didn’t carry it at the first, Yahweh our God made a breach on us, because we didn’t seek him according to the ordinance. 14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 15The children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of Yahweh. 16David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy. 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18and with them their brothers of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers. 19So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed with cymbals of brass to sound aloud; 20and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries set to Alamoth; 21and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead. 22Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful. 23Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. 24Shebaniah, and Joshaphat, and Nethanel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark. 25So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26It happened, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: and David had on him an ephod of linen. 28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with psalteries and harps. 29It happened, as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David dancing and playing; and she despised him in her heart.

Chapter 16

1They brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh. 3He dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. 4He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of Yahweh, and to celebrate and to thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel: 5Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; 6and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

7Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to Yahweh, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

8Oh give thanks to Yahweh, call on his name;

Make known his doings among the peoples.

9Sing to him, sing praises to him;

Talk you of all his marvelous works.

10Glory you in his holy name;

Let the heart of them rejoice who seek Yahweh.

11Seek you Yahweh and his strength;

Seek his face forever more.

12Remember his marvelous works that he has done,

His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

13You seed of Israel his servant,

You children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14He is Yahweh our God;

His judgments are in all the earth.

15Remember his covenant forever,

The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

16The covenant which he made with Abraham,

His oath to Isaac,

17Confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18Saying, To you will I give the land of Canaan,

The lot of your inheritance;

19When you were but a few men in number,

Yes, very few, and foreigners in it;

20They went about from nation to nation,

From one kingdom to another people.

21He allowed no man to do them wrong;

Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

22Saying, Don’t touch my anointed ones,

Do my prophets no harm.

23Sing to Yahweh, all the earth;

Show forth his salvation from day to day.

24Declare his glory among the nations,

His marvelous works among all the peoples.

25For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised:

He also is to be feared above all gods.

26For all the gods of the peoples are idols:

But Yahweh made the heavens.

27Honor and majesty are before him:

Strength and gladness are in his place.

28Ascribe to Yahweh, you relatives of the peoples,

Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength;

29Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name:

Bring an offering, and come before him:

Worship Yahweh in holy array.

30Tremble before him, all the earth:

The world also is established that it can’t be moved.

31Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

Let them say among the nations, Yahweh reigns.

32Let the sea roar, and the fullness of it;

Let the field exult, and all that is therein;

33Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before Yahweh;

For he comes to judge the earth.

34Oh give thanks to Yahweh; for he is good;

For his loving kindness endures forever.

35Say you, Save us, God of our salvation,

Gather us together and deliver us from the nations,

To give thanks to your holy name,

To triumph in your praise.

36Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,

From everlasting even to everlasting.

All the people said, Amen, and praised Yahweh.

37So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; 38and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers; 39and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the tent of Yahweh in the high place that was at Gibeon, 40to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which he commanded to Israel; 41and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his loving kindness endures forever; 42and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate. 43All the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

Chapter 17

1It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh dwells under curtains. 2Nathan said to David, Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you. 3It happened the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4Go and tell David my servant, Thus says Yahweh, You shall not build me a house to dwell in: 5for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel, to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tent to another. 6In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, spoke I a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? 7Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh of Armies, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel: 8and I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. 9I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first, 10and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that Yahweh will build you a house. 11It shall happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you; 14but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever. 15According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David. 16Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, Yahweh God. 18What can David say yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? for you know your servant. 19Yahweh, for your servant’s sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20Yahweh, there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, to make you a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeem out of Egypt? 22For your people Israel did you make your own people forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God. 23Now, Yahweh, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, be established forever, and do as you have spoken. 24Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of Armies is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and the house of David your servant is established before you. 25For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray before you. 26Now, Yahweh, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant: 27and now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you: for you, Yahweh, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.

Chapter 18

1After this it happened, that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines. 2He struck Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute. 3David struck Hadarezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. 4David took from him one thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots. 5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men. 6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. 7David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadarezer, David took very much brass, with which Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass. 9When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadarezer king of Zobah, 10he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadarezer and struck him; (for Hadarezer had wars with Tou;) and he had with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass. 11These also did king David dedicate to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek. 12Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand. 13He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. 14David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness to all his people. 15Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Shavsha was scribe; 17and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.

Chapter 19

1It happened after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. 2David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shown kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Think you that David does honor your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Aren’t his servants come to you to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? 4So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. 5Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Stay at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. 6When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Arammaacah, and out of Zobah. 7So they hired them thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men. 9The 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. 10Now 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. 11The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon. 12He said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for you, then I will help you. 13Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh do that which seems him good. 14So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him. 15When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. 16When the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians who were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head. 17It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came on them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the army. 19When the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

Chapter 20

1It happened, at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led forth the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it. 2David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set on David’s head: and he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much. 3He brought forth the people who were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Thus did David to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. 4It happened after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued. 5There was again 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. 6There was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were twenty-four, six on each hand, and six on each foot; and he also was born to the giant. 7When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother killed him. 8These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Chapter 21

1Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them. 3Joab said, Yahweh make his people a hundred times as many as they are: but, my lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel? 4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to David. All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew sword: and in Judah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew sword. 6But he didn’t count Levi and Benjamin among them; for the king’s word was abominable to Joab. 7God was displeased with this thing; therefore he struck Israel. 8David said to God, I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing: but now, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly. 9Yahweh spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10Go and speak to David, saying, Thus says Yahweh, I offer you three things: choose you one of them, that I may do it to you. 11So Gad came to David, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Take which you will: 12either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days the sword of Yahweh, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me. 13David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall, I pray, into the hand of Yahweh; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man. 14So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. 15God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was about to destroy, Yahweh saw, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the destroying angel, It is enough; now stay your hand. The angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. 17David said to God, Isn’t it I who commanded the people to be numbered? It is even I who have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Yahweh my God, be against me, and against my father’s house; but not against your people, that they should be plagued. 18Then the angel of Yahweh commanded Gad to tell David, that David should go up, and raise an altar to Yahweh in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spoke in the name of Yahweh. 20Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. 21As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. 22Then David said to Ornan, Give me the place of this threshing floor, that I may build thereon an altar to Yahweh: for the full price shall you give it me, that the plague may be stayed from the people. 23Ornan said to David, Take it to you, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: behold, I give you the oxen for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal offering; I give it all. 24King David said to Ornan, No; but I will most assuredly buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is your for Yahweh, nor offer a burnt offering without cost. 25So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. 26David built there an altar to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on Yahweh; and he answered him from the sky by fire on the altar of burnt offering. 27Yahweh commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath of it. 28At that time, when David saw that Yahweh had answered him in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. 29For the tent of Yahweh, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon. 30But David couldn’t go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of Yahweh.

Chapter 22

1Then David said, This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel. 2David commanded to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew worked stones to build the house of God. 3David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the couplings; and brass in abundance without weight; 4and cedar trees without number: for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David. 5David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for Yahweh must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death. 6Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build a house for Yahweh, the God of Israel. 7David said to Solomon his son, As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of Yahweh my God. 8But the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, You have shed blood abundantly, and have made great wars: you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days: 10he shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. 11Now, my son, Yahweh be with you; and prosper you, and build the house of Yahweh your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12May Yahweh give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel; that so you may keep the law of Yahweh your God. 13Then shall you prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which Yahweh gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong, and of good courage. Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed. 14Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Yahweh one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one thousand thousand talents of silver, and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and you may add to them. 15There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work: 16of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise and be doing, and Yahweh be with you. 17David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18Isn’t Yahweh your God with you? Hasn’t he given you rest on every side? for he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before Yahweh, and before his people. 19Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Yahweh your God; arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Yahweh.

Chapter 23

1Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel. 2He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. 3The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand. 4Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of Yahweh; and six thousand were officers and judges; 5and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made, said David, for giving praise. 6David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 7Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei. 8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three. 9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Ladan. 10The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 11Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah didn’t have many sons; therefore they became a fathers’ house in one reckoning. 12The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 13The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to burn incense before Yahweh, to minister to him, and to bless in his name, forever. 14But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. 15The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. 16The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. 17The sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. 18The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. 19The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second. 21The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. 22Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them to wife. 23The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three. 24These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those of those who were counted, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and upward. 25For David said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever: 26and also the Levites shall no more have need to carry the tent and all the vessels of it for the service of it. 27For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward. 28For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Yahweh, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God; 29for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all manner of measure and size; 30and to stand every morning to thank and praise Yahweh, and likewise in the evening; 31and to offer all burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before Yahweh; 32and that they should keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of the house of Yahweh.

Chapter 24

1These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office. 3David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service. 4There were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided: of the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen, heads of fathers’ houses; and of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers’ houses, eight. 5Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. 6Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and of the Levites; one fathers’ house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. 7Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, 16the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, 17the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19This was the ordering of them in their service, to come into the house of Yahweh according to the ordinance given to them by Aaron their father, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, had commanded him. 20Of the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. 21Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. 22Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. 23The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. 24The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. 25The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. 26The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah: Beno. 27The sons of Merari: of Jaaziah, Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. 29Of Kish; the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel. 30The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after their fathers’ houses. 31These likewise cast lots even as their brothers the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and of the Levites; the fathers’ houses of the chief even as those of his younger brother.

Chapter 25

1Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was: 2of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king. 3Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh. 4Of Heman; the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king. 7The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to Yahweh, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight. 8They cast lots for their offices, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. 9Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brothers and sons were twelve: 10the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 11the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 12the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 13the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 14the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 15the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 16the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 17the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 18the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 19the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 20for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 21for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 22for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 23for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 24for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 25for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 26for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 27for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 28for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 29for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 30for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve: 31for the four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

Chapter 26

1For the divisions of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. 4Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethanel the fifth, 5Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. 6Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born, who ruled over the house of their father; for they were mighty men of valor. 7The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brothers were valiant men, Elihu, and Semachiah. 8All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom: they and their sons and their brothers, able men in strength for the service; sixty-two of Obed-Edom. 9Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen. 10Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief), 11Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen. 12Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in the house of Yahweh. 13They cast lots, the small as well as the great, according to their fathers’ houses, for every gate. 14The lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots; and his lot came out northward. 15To Obed-Edom southward; and to his sons the storehouse. 16To Shuppim and Hosah westward, by the gate of Shallecheth, at the causeway that goes up, watch against watch. 17Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and for the storehouse two and two. 18For Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar. 19These were the divisions of the doorkeepers; of the sons of the Korahites, and of the sons of Merari. 20Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. 21The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers’ houses belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli. 22The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother, over the treasures of the house of Yahweh. 23Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the Uzzielites: 24and Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasures. 25His brothers: of Eliezer came Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son. 26This Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the heads of the fathers’ houses, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army, had dedicated. 27Out of the spoil won in battles did they dedicate to repair the house of Yahweh. 28All that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated, whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth, and of his brothers. 29Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. 30Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, men of valor, one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the business of Yahweh, and for the service of the king. 31Of the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers’ houses. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valor at Jazer of Gilead. 32His brothers, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred, heads of fathers’ houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.

Chapter 27

1Now the children of Israel after their number, the heads of fathers’ houses and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king, in any matter of the divisions which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year„of every division were twenty-four thousand. 2Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 3He was of the children of Perez, the chief of all the captains of the army for the first month. 4Over the division of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite, and his division; and Mikloth the ruler: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 5The third captain of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 6This is that Benaiah, who was the mighty man of the thirty, and over the thirty: and of his division was Ammizabad his son. 7The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 8The fifth captain for this fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 9The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 10The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 11The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 12The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite, of the Benjamites: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 13The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zerahites: and in his division were Twenty-four thousand. 14The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 15The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 16Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri the ruler: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah: 17of Levi, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of Aaron, Zadok: 18of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael: 19of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jeremoth the son of Azriel: 20of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah: 21of the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner: 22of Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the captains of the tribes of Israel. 23But David didn’t take the number of them from twenty years old and under, because Yahweh had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the sky. 24Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but didn’t finish; and there came wrath for this on Israel; neither was the number put into the account in the chronicles of king David. 25Over the king’s treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the treasures in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the towers, was Jonathan the son of Uzziah: 26Over those who did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub: 27and over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: and over the increase of the vineyards for the winecellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite: 28and over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the lowland was Baal Hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash: 29and over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai: 30and over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite: and over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. 31All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David’s. 32Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons: 33Ahithophel was the king’s counselor: and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend: 34and after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the captain of the king’s army was Joab.

Chapter 28

1David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies who served the king by division, and the captains of thousands, and 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 valor, to Jerusalem. 2Then David the king stood up on his feet, and said, Hear me, my brothers, and my people: as for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and for the footstool of our God; and I had made ready for the building. 3But God said to me, You shall not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war, and have shed blood. 4However Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever: for he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel; 5Of all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons), he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel. 6He said to me, Solomon your son, he shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my ordinances, as at this day. 8Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the audience of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of Yahweh your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever. 9You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10Take heed now; for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. 11Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch of the temple, and of the houses of it, and of the treasuries of it, and of the upper rooms of it, and of the inner chambers of it, and of the place of the mercy seat; 12and the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of the house of Yahweh, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things; 13also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels of service in the house of Yahweh; 14of gold by weight for the vessels of gold, for all vessels of every kind of service; of silver for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service; 15by weight also for the lampstands of gold, and for the lamps of it, of gold, by weight for every lampstand and for the lamps of it; and for the lampstands of silver, silver by weight for every lampstand and for the lamps of it, according to the use of every lampstand; 16and the gold by weight for the tables of show bread, for every table; and silver for the tables of silver; 17and the forks, and the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl; 18and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. 19All this, said David, have I been made to understand in writing from the hand of Yahweh, even all the works of this pattern. 20David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for Yahweh God, even my God, is with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of Yahweh is finished. 21Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with you in all manner of work every willing man who has skill, for any manner of service: also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command.

Chapter 29

1David the king said to all the assembly, Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for Yahweh God. 2Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, stones for inlaid work, and of various colors, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, seeing that I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, 4even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, with which to overlay the walls of the houses; 5of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. Who then offers willingly to consecrate himself this day to Yahweh? 6Then the princes of the fathers’ houses, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly; 7and they gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and of iron a hundred thousand talents. 8They with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of Yahweh, under the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9Then the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to Yahweh: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. 10Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all. 12Both riches and honor come of you, and you rule over all; and in your hand is power and might; and it is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all. 13Now therefore, our God, we thank you, and praise your glorious name. 14But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come of you, and of your own have we given you. 15For we are strangers before you, and foreigners, as all our fathers were: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16Yahweh our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes of your hand, and is all your own. 17I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy your people, that are present here, offer willingly to you. 18Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart to you; 19and give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision. 20David said to all the assembly, Now bless Yahweh your God. All the assembly blessed Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before Yahweh and the king. 21They sacrificed sacrifices to Yahweh, and offered burnt offerings to Yahweh, on the next day after that day, even one thousand bulls, one thousand rams, and one thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel, 22and ate and drink before Yahweh on that day with great gladness. They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him to Yahweh to be prince, and Zadok to be priest. 23Then Solomon sat on the throne of Yahweh as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. 24All the princes, the mighty men, and also all of the sons of king David submitted themselves to Solomon the king. 25Yahweh magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. 26Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 28He died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor: and Solomon his son reigned in his place. 29Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Samuel the seer, and in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the history of Gad the seer, 30with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

The Second Book of Chronicles

Chapter 1

1Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and Yahweh his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. 2Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every prince in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses. 3So Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of Yahweh had made in the wilderness. 4But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. 5Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tent of Yahweh: and Solomon and the assembly sought to it. 6Solomon went up there to the brazen altar before Yahweh, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered one thousand burnt offerings on it. 7In that night did God appear to Solomon, and said to him, Ask what I shall give you. 8Solomon said to God, You have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his place. 9Now, Yahweh God, let your promise to David my father be established; for you have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this your people, that is so great? 11God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate you, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king: 12wisdom and knowledge is granted to you; and I will give you riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you; neither shall there any after you have the like. 13So Solomon came from the high place that was at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem; and he reigned over Israel. 14Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15The king made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 16The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt and from Kue; the king’s merchants purchased them from Kue. 17They brought up and brought out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred pieces of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

Chapter 2

1Now Solomon purposed to build a house for the name of Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom. 2Solomon counted out seventy thousand men to bear burdens, and eighty thousand men who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them. 3Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As you dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build him a house in which to dwell, even so deal with me. 4Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual show bread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts of Yahweh our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel. 5The house which I build is great; for great is our God above all gods. 6But who is able to build him a house, seeing heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn incense before him? 7Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and who knows how to engrave all manner of engravings, to be with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide. 8Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon: and behold, my servants shall be with your servants, 9even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful. 10Behold, I will give to your servants, the cutters who cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil. 11Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, “Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them.” 12Huram continued, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, that should build a house for Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom. 13Now I have sent a skillful man, endowed with understanding, of Huram my father’s, 14the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any manner of engraving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father. 15Now therefore the wheat and the barley, the oil and the wine, which my lord has spoken of, let him send to his servants: 16and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need; and we will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa; and you shall carry it up to Jerusalem.” 17Solomon numbered all the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, after the numbering with which David his father had numbered them; and they were found one hundred fifty-three thousand six hundred. 18He set seventy thousand of them to bear burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred overseers to set the people at work.

Chapter 3

1Then Solomon began to build the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where Yahweh appeared to David his father, which he made ready in the place that David had appointed, in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2He began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. 3Now these are the foundations which Solomon laid for the building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits. 4The porch that was before the house, the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the height one hundred twenty; and he overlaid it within with pure gold. 5The greater house he made a ceiling with fir wood, which he overlaid with fine gold, and ornamented it with palm trees and chains. 6He garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim. 7He overlaid also the house, the beams, the thresholds, and the walls of it, and the doors of it, with gold; and engraved cherubim on the walls. 8He made the most holy house: the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth of it twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. 9The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid the upper chambers with gold. 10In the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work; and they overlaid them with gold. 11The wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long: the wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub. 12The wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house; and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub. 13The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house. 14He made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and ornamented it with cherubim. 15Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty-five cubits high, and the capital that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. 16He made chains in the oracle, and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 17He 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.

Chapter 4

1Then he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length of it, and twenty cubits the breadth of it, and ten cubits the height of it. 2Also he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass; and the height of it was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about. 3Under it was the likeness of oxen, which did compass it round about, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about. The oxen were in two rows, cast when it was cast. 4It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set on them above, and all their hinder parts were inward. 5It was a handbreadth thick; and the brim of it was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it received and held three thousand baths. 6He made also ten basins, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as belonged to the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in. 7He made the ten lampstands of gold according to the ordinance concerning them; and he set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left. 8He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. He made one hundred basins of gold. 9Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. 10He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south. 11Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work that he did for king Solomon in the house of God: 12the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars, 13and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars. 14He made also the bases, and the basins made he on the bases; 15one sea, and the twelve oxen under it. 16The pots also, and the shovels, and the forks, and all the vessels of it, did Huram his father make for king Solomon for the house of Yahweh of bright brass. 17In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out. 19Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables with the show bread on them; 20and the lampstands with their lamps, to burn according to the ordinance before the oracle, of pure gold; 21and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold, and that perfect gold; 22and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold: and as for the entry of the house, the inner doors of it for the most holy place, and the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple, were of gold.

Chapter 5

1Thus all the work that Solomon did for the house of Yahweh was finished. Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, even the silver, and the gold, and all the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of God. 2Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. 4All the elders of Israel came: and the Levites took up the ark; 5and they brought up the ark, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; these did the priests the Levites bring up. 6King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled to him, were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude. 7The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. 8For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the poles of it above. 9The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and there it is to this day. 10There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. 11It happened, when the priests were come out of the holy place, (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, and did not keep their divisions; 12also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brothers, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them one hundred twenty priests sounding with trumpets;) 13it happened, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, saying, For he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever; that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Yahweh, 14so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of God.

Chapter 6

1Then spoke Solomon, Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 2But I have built you a house of habitation, and a place for you to dwell in forever. 3The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood. 4He said, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father, and has with his hands fulfilled it, saying, 5Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be prince over my people Israel: 6but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. 7Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 8But Yahweh said to David my father, Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart: 9nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for my name. 10Yahweh has performed his word that he spoke; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 11There have I set the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with the children of Israel. 12He stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands 13(for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and on it he stood, and kneeled down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;) 14and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven, or on earth; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart; 15who have kept with your servant David my father that which you did promise him: yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day. 16Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me. 17Now therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David. 18But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain you; how much less this house which I have built! 19Yet have you respect to the prayer of your servant, and to his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you; 20that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, even toward the place where you have said that you would put your name there; to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place. 21Listen you to the petitions of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yes, hear from your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when you hear, forgive. 22If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house; 23then hear from heaven, and do, and judge your servants, requiting the wicked, to bring his way on his own head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 24If your people Israel be struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you, and shall turn again and confess your name, and pray and make supplication before you in this house; 25then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to them and to their fathers. 26When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you do afflict them: 27then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance. 28If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there be; 29whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall know every man his own plague and his own sorrow, and shall spread forth his hands toward this house: 30then hear from heaven, your dwelling place and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of the children of men;) 31that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, so long as they live in the land which you gave to our fathers. 32Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for your great name’s sake, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm; when they shall come and pray toward this house: 33then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, and fear you, as does your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name. 34If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you toward this city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name; 35then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 36If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to a land far off or near; 37yet if they shall repent themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and have dealt wickedly; 38if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, and the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name: 39then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their petitions, and maintain their cause, and forgive your people who have sinned against you. 40Now, my God, let, I beg you, your eyes be open, and let your ears be attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place. 41Now therefore arise, Yahweh God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength: let your priests, Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness. 42Yahweh God, don’t turn away the face of your anointed: remember your loving kindnesses to David your servant.

Chapter 7

1Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of Yahweh filled the house. 2The priests could not enter into the house of Yahweh, because the glory of Yahweh filled Yahweh’s house. 3All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of Yahweh was on the house; and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped, and gave thanks to Yahweh, saying, For he is good; for his loving kindness endures for ever. 4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before Yahweh. 5King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6The priests stood, according to their offices; the Levites also with instruments of music of Yahweh, which David the king had made to give thanks to Yahweh, (for his loving kindness endures for ever), when David praised by their ministry: and the priests sounded trumpets before them; and all Israel stood. 7Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat. 8So Solomon held the feast at that time seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. 9On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10On the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. 11Thus Solomon finished the house of Yahweh, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of Yahweh, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12Yahweh appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice. 13If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place. 16For now have I chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 17As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances; 18then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I covenanted with David your father, saying, There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel. 19But if you turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall say, Why has Yahweh done thus to this land, and to this house? 22They shall answer, Because they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them: therefore has he brought all this evil on them.

Chapter 8

1It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of Yahweh, and his own house, 2that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. 3Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it. 4He built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the storage cities, which he built in Hamath. 5Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6and Baalath, and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 7As for all the people who were left of the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel; 8of their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel didn’t consume, of them did Solomon raise a levy of bondservants to this day. 9But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen. 10These were the chief officers of king Solomon, even two hundred fifty, who ruled over the people. 11Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her; for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of Yahweh has come. 12Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh, which he had built before the porch, 13even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tents. 14He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded. 15They didn’t depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 16Now all the work of Solomon was prepared to the day of the foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was finished. So the house of Yahweh was completed. 17Then went Solomon to Ezion Geber, and to Eloth, on the seashore in the land of Edom. 18Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants who had knowledge of the sea; and they came with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and fetched from there four hundred fifty talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

Chapter 9

1When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart. 2Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not anything hid from Solomon which he didn’t tell her. 3When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 4and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, his cup bearers also, and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her. 5She said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom. 6However I didn’t believe their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard. 7Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom. 8Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he you king over them, to do justice and righteousness. 9She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 10The servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11The king made of the algum trees terraces for the house of Yahweh, and for the king’s house, and harps and psalteries for the singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. 12King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants. 13Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, 14besides that which the traders and merchants brought: and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one buckler. 16he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 19Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom. 20All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: silver was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon. 21For the king had ships that went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years came the ships of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 22So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 25Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance. 28They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands. 29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 10

1Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 2It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 3They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you. 5He said to them, Come again to me after three days. The people departed. 6King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give you me to return answer to this people? 7They spoke to him, saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. 8But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9He said to them, What counsel give you, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter? 10The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you tell the people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make you it lighter to us; thus shall you say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, Israel: now see to your own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents. 17But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.

Chapter 11

1When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the words of Yahweh, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam, 8and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities. 11He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine. 12In every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him. 13The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border. 14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh; 15and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made. 16After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon. 18Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 19and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham. 20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.) 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brothers; for he was minded to make him king. 23He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He sought for them many wives.

Chapter 12

1It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him. 2It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, 3with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. 4He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus says Yahweh, You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. 6Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, Yahweh is righteous. 7When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 9So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house: he took all away: he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 10King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 11It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard chamber. 12When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things found. 13So 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 Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 14He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh. 15Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 13

1In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah. 2Three years reigned he in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah 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 valor. 4Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5Ought you not to know that Yahweh, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord. 7There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and could not withstand them. 8Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9Haven’t you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests after the manner of the peoples of other lands? so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of those who are no gods. 10But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and we have priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work: 11and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense: the show bread also set they in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with the lamps of it, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken him. 12Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel, don’t you fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper. 13But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16The children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand. 17Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 19Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns of it, and Jeshanah with the towns of it, and Ephron with the towns of it. 20Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and Yahweh struck him, and he died. 21But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters. 22The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

Chapter 14

1So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God: 3for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, 4and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. 6He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest. 7For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God; we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 8Asa had an army that bore bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred eighty thousand: all these were mighty men of valor. 9There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Mareshah. 10Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11Asa cried to Yahweh his God, and said, Yahweh, there is none besides you to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength: help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on you, and in your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, you are our God; don’t let man prevail against you. 12So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh, and before his army; and they carried away very much booty. 14They struck all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of Yahweh came on them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them. 15They struck also the tents of livestock, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.

Chapter 15

1The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded: 2and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear you me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Yahweh is with you, while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 3Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law: 4But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great vexations were on all the inhabitants of the lands. 6They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God did vex them with all adversity. 7But be you strong, and don’t let your hands be slack; for your work shall be rewarded. 8When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the altar of Yahweh, that was before the porch of Yahweh. 9He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who sojourned with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him. 10So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. 12They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul; 13and that whoever would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15All Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and Yahweh gave them rest round about. 16Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 17But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. 18He brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19There was no more war to the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

Chapter 16

1In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Yahweh and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, 3There is a league between me and you, as there was between my father and your father: behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 5It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease. 6Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber of it, with which Baasha had built; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. 7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand. 8Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because you did rely on Yahweh, he delivered them into your hand. 9For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein you have done foolishly; for from henceforth you shall have wars. 10Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time. 11Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he didn’t seek Yahweh, but to the physicians. 13Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. 14They buried him in his own tombs, which he had hewn out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumers’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.

Chapter 17

1Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 3Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals, 4but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 5Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. 7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; 8and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 9They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Yahweh with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people. 10The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred male goats. 12Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. 13He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. 14This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand; 15and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred eighty thousand; 16and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to Yahweh; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 17Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield; 18and next to him Jehozabad and with him one hundred eighty thousand ready prepared for war. 19These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Chapter 18

1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab. 2After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead? He answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; and we will be with you in the war. 4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh. 5Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king. 6But Jehoshaphat said, Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him? 7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh: but I hate him; for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. Jehoshaphat said, Don’t let the king say so. 8Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Get quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. 9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Yahweh, With these shall you push the Syrians, until they be consumed. 11All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. 12The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: let your word therefore, Please be like one of theirs, and speak you good. 13Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak. 14When he was come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? He said, Go up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh? 16He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Yahweh said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace. 17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? 18Micaiah said, Therefore hear you the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19Yahweh said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? One spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him. Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’ 21He said, ‘I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.’ 22Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you. 23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you? 24Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself. 25The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 26and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace. 27Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you. 28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put you on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle. 30Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 31It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. 32It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 33A certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the army; for I am sore wounded. 34The battle increased that day: however the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.

Chapter 19

1Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. 2Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate Yahweh? for this thing wrath is on you from before Yahweh. 3Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God. 4Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem: and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 5He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6and said to the judges, Consider what you do: for you don’t judge for man, but for Yahweh; and he is with you in the judgment. 7Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be on you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes. 8Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and the priests, and of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh, and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem. 9He charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. 10Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them, that they not be guilty towards Yahweh, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers: this do, and you shall not be guilty. 11Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahweh; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and Yahweh be with the good.

Chapter 20

1It happened after this, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2Then there came some who told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against you from beyond the sea from Syria; and behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar (the same is En Gedi). 3Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4Judah gathered themselves together, to seek help of Yahweh: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Yahweh. 5Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Yahweh, before the new court; 6and he said, Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? and aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? and in your hand is power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7Did not you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham your friend forever? 8They lived therein, and have built you a sanctuary therein for your name, saying, 9If evil come on us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save. 10Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and didn’t destroy them; 11behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. 12Our God, will you not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do: but out eyes are on you. 13All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14Then on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Yahweh in the midst of the assembly; 15and he said, Listen you, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat: Thus says Yahweh to you, Don’t be afraid you, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16Tomorrow go you down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and you shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand you still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh is with you. 18Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh. 19The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice. 20They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Yahweh your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall you prosper. 21When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Yahweh; for his loving kindness endures forever. 22When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. 23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another. 24When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped. 25When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. 26On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed Yahweh: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah to this day. 27Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28They came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets to the house of Yahweh. 29The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel. 30So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest round about. 31Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh. 33However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers. 34Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel. 35After this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel; the same did very wickedly: 36and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. 37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works. The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

Chapter 21

1Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3Their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. 4Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and various also of the princes of Israel. 5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh. 7However Yahweh would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always. 8In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 9Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots. 10So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers. 11Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, and led Judah astray. 12There came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says Yahweh, the God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, like as the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself: 14behold, Yahweh will strike with a great plague your people, and your children, and your wives, and all your substance; 15and you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day. 16Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians: 17and they came up against Judah, and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. 18After all this Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19It happened, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of sore diseases. His people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. 20Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Chapter 22

1The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place; for the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2Forty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. 4He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. 5He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. 6He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. 7Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8It happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and killed them. 9He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu, and killed him; and they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought Yahweh with all his heart. The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom. 10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn’t kill him. 12He was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

Chapter 23

1In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. 2They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3All the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. He said to them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David. 4This is the thing that you shall do: a third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds; 5and a third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Yahweh. 6But let none come into the house of Yahweh, save the priests, and those who minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the charge of Yahweh. 7The Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be slain: and be you with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out. 8So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest didn’t dismiss the shift. 9Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s, which were in the house of God. 10He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about. 11Then they brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, Long live the king. 12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh: 13and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers also played on instruments of music, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, Treason! treason! 14Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, Have her forth between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword: for the priest said, Don’t kill her in the house of Yahweh. 15So they made way for her; and she went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king’s house: and they killed her there. 16Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh’s people. 17All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Yahweh under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David. 19He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahweh, that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in. 20He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Yahweh: and they came through the upper gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword.

Chapter 24

1Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zibiah, of Beersheba. 2Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he became the father of sons and daughters. 4It happened after this, that Joash was minded to restore the house of Yahweh. 5He gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that you hasten the matter. However the Levites didn’t hurry. 6The king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, Why haven’t you required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, for the tent of the testimony? 7For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of Yahweh did they bestow on the Baals. 8So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of Yahweh. 9They made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for Yahweh the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. 10All the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end. 11It was so, that whenever the chest was brought to the king’s officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. 12The king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of Yahweh; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Yahweh, and also such as worked iron and brass to repair the house of Yahweh. 13So the workmen worked, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands, and they set up the house of God in its state, and strengthened it. 14When they had made an end, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, of which were made vessels for the house of Yahweh, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh continually all the days of Jehoiada. 15But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; one hundred thirty years old was he when he died. 16They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house. 17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18They forsook the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols: and wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness. 19Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahweh; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. 20The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, Thus says God, Why disobey you the commandments of Yahweh, so that you can’t prosper? because you have forsaken Yahweh, he has also forsaken you. 21They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Yahweh. 22Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, Yahweh look on it, and require it. 23It happened at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them to the king of Damascus. 24For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash. 25When they were departed for him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid on him, and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 25

1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem. 2He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a perfect heart. 3Now it happened, when the kingdom was established to him, that he killed his servants who had killed the king his father. 4But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin. 5Moreover 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: and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, who could handle spear and shield. 6He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim. 8But if you will go, do valiantly, be strong for the battle: God will cast you down before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to cast down. 9Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? The man of God answered, Yahweh is able to give you much more than this. 10Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger. 11Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck of the children of Seir ten thousand. 12other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces. 13But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand, and took much spoil. 14Now it happened, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them. 15Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent to him a prophet, who said to him, Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand? 16It happened, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Have we made you of the king’s counsel? Stop! Why should you be struck down? Then the prophet stopped, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel. 17Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 18Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. 19You say, Behold, you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast: abide now at home; why should you meddle to your hurt, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you? 20But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom. 21So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent. 23Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. 26Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren’t they written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27Now from the time that Amaziah did turn away from following Yahweh they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. 28They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

Chapter 26

1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. 4He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper. 6He went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 7God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and the Meunim. 8The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew exceeding strong. 9Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10He built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and he had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved farming. 11Moreover 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. 12The whole number of the heads of fathers’ houses, even the mighty men of valor, was two thousand and six hundred. 13Under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging. 15He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, until he was strong. 16But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into the temple of Yahweh to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men: 18and they withstood Uzziah the king, and said to him, It pertains not to you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from Yahweh God. 19Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. 20Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. 21Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. 22Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. 23So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 27

1Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: however he didn’t enter into the temple of Yahweh. The people did yet corruptly. 3He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon render to him, in the second year also, and in the third. 6So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before Yahweh his God. 7Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 28

1Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn’t do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, like David his father; 2but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baals. 3Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. 4He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter. 6For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 7Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king. 8The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven. 10Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids to you: but aren’t there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God? 11Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive of your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you. 12Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war, 13and said to them, You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 14So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly. 15The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers: then they returned to Samaria. 16At that time did king Ahaz send to the kings of Assyria to help him. 17For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives. 18The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with the towns of it, and Timnah with the towns of it, Gimzo also and the towns of it: and they lived there. 19For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against Yahweh. 20Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but didn’t strengthen him. 21For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria: but it didn’t help him. 22In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against Yahweh, this same king Ahaz. 23For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of his fathers. 26Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they didn’t bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 29

1Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that David his father had done. 3He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, and repaired them. 4He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east, 5and said to them, Hear me, you Levites; now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of Yahweh, and turned their backs. 7Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8Therefore the wrath of Yahweh was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment, and a hissing, as you see with your eyes. 9For, behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11My sons, don’t be negligent now; for Yahweh has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his ministers, and burn incense. 12Then the Levites arose, Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15They gathered their brothers, and sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words of Yahweh, to cleanse the house of Yahweh. 16The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of Yahweh into the court of the house of Yahweh. The Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron. 17Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of Yahweh; and they sanctified the house of Yahweh in eight days: and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. 18Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and said, We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels of it, and the table of show bread, with all the vessels of it. 19Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away when he trespassed, have we prepared and sanctified; and behold, they are before the altar of Yahweh. 20Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of Yahweh. 21They brought seven bulls, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of Yahweh. 22So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: and they killed the rams, and sprinkled the blood on the altar: they killed also the lambs, and sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them: 24and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 25He set the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was of Yahweh by his prophets. 26The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel. 28All the assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29When they had made an end of offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. 31Then Hezekiah answered, Now you have consecrated yourselves to Yahweh; come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Yahweh. The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 33The consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. 34But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: therefore their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. 35Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was set in order. 36Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

Chapter 30

1Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month. 3For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly. 5So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written. 6So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, You children of Israel, turn again to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that have escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7Don’t be you like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as you see. 8Now don’t you be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; but yield yourselves to Yahweh, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve Yahweh your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9For if you turn again to Yahweh, your brothers and your children shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for Yahweh your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him. 10So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun: but they ridiculed them, and mocked them. 11Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. 12Also on Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Yahweh. 13There assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 14They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh. 16They stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites had the charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahweh. 18For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Yahweh pardon everyone 19who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, though not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh. 22Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 23The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and they kept other seven days with gladness. 24For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. 25All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. 27Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.

Chapter 31

1Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. 2Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of Yahweh. 3He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Yahweh. 4Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of Yahweh. 5As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh their God, and laid them by heaps. 7In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh, and his people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of Yahweh, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for Yahweh has blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store. 11Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Yahweh; and they prepared them. 12They brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second. 13Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of Yahweh, and the most holy things. 15Under him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, as well to the great as to the small: 16besides those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even everyone who entered into the house of Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions; 17and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers’ houses, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions; 18and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness. 19Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites. 20Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah; and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God. 21In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

Chapter 32

1After these things, and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself. 2When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city; and they helped him. 4So there was gathered much people together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? 5He took courage, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. 6He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke comfortably to them, saying, 7Be strong and of good courage, don’t be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater with us than with him: 8with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 9After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do you trust, that you abide the siege in Jerusalem? 11Does not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 12Has not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and on it shall you burn incense? 13 Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any wise able to deliver their land out of my hand? 14Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? 15Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe you him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of my hand? 16His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 17He wrote also letters, to rail on Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand. 18They cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands. 20Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven. 21Yahweh sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword. 22Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 24In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death: and he prayed to Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign. 25But Hezekiah didn’t render again according to the benefit done to him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah. 27Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels; 28storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil; and stalls for all manner of animals, and flocks in folds. 29Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance. 30This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31However in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

Chapter 33

1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them. 4He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, In Jerusalem shall my name be forever. 5He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh. 6He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. 7He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in the house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever: 8neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses. 9Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel. 10Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed. 11Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13He prayed to him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh he was God. 14Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed Ophel about with it, and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. 17Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God. 18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel. 19His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai. 20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place. 21Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them. 23He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more. 24His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house. 25But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

Chapter 34

1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images. 4They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and the incense altars that were on high above them he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5He burnt the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6So did he in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even to Naphtali, in their ruins round about. 7He broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the engraved images into powder, and hewed down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem. 8Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God. 9They came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10They delivered it into the hand of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh; and the workmen who labored in the house of Yahweh gave it to mend and repair the house; 11even to the carpenters and to the builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12The men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and others of the Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music. 13Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and set forward all who did the work in every manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters. 14When they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Yahweh given by Moses. 15Hilkiah answered Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh. Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. 16Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying, All that was committed to your servants, they are doing. 17They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen. 18Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. Shaphan read therein before the king. 19It happened, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he tore his clothes. 20The king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 21Go you, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book. 22So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they spoke to her to that effect. 23She said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Tell you the man who sent you to me, 24Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on the inhabitants of it, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah. 25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore is my wrath poured out on this place, and it shall not be quenched. 26But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus shall you tell him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: As touching the words which you have heard, 27because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh. 28Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring on this place, and on the inhabitants of it. They brought back word to the king. 29Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Yahweh. 31The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All his days they didn’t depart from following Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

Chapter 35

1Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2He set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Yahweh. 3He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; there shall no more be a burden on your shoulders: now serve Yahweh your God, and his people Israel. 4Prepare yourselves after your fathers’ houses by your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. 5Stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brothers the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a fathers’ house of the Levites. 6Kill the Passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to the word of Yahweh by Moses. 7Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bulls: these were of the king’s substance. 8His princes gave for a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small livestock, and three hundred oxen. 9Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand small livestock, and five hundred oxen. 10So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their divisions, according to the king’s commandment. 11They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them. 12They removed the burnt offerings, that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the children of the people, to offer to Yahweh, as it is written in the book of Moses. So did they with the oxen. 13They roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance: and the holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people. 14Afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night: therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. 15The singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the porters were at every gate: they didn’t need to depart from their service; for their brothers the Levites prepared for them. 16So all the service of Yahweh was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of Yahweh, according to the commandment of king Josiah. 17The children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this Passover kept. 20After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. 21But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; and God has commanded me to make haste: forbear you from meddling with God, who is with me, that he not destroy you. 22Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23The archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. 24So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel: and behold, they are written in the lamentations. 26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the law of Yahweh, 27and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Chapter 36

1Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 2Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3The king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. 5Jehoiakim was Twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God. 6Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. 7Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Yahweh to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. 8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 9Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh. 10At the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Yahweh, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. 11Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: 12and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God; he didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Yahweh. 13He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 14Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of Yahweh which he had made holy in Jerusalem. 15Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Yahweh arose against his people, until there was no remedy. 17Therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or gray-headed: he gave them all into his hand. 18All the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. 19They burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces of it with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels of it. 20Those who had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths: for as long as it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. 22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 23Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth has Yahweh, the God of heaven, given me; and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up.

Ezra

Chapter 1

1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth has Yahweh, the God of heaven, given me; and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3Whoever there is among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4Whoever is left, in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with animals, besides the freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem. 5Then rose up the heads of fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem. 6All those who were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered. 7Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of Yahweh, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods; 8even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 9This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives, 10thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels one thousand. 11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when they of the captivity were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Chapter 2

1Now these are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city; 2who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. 4The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. 5The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy-five. 6The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred twelve. 7The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 8The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five. 9The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 10The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two. 11The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-three. 12The children of Azgad, one thousand two hundred twenty-two. 13The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six. 14The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six. 15The children of Adin, four hundred fifty-four. 16The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 17The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-three. 18The children of Jorah, one hundred twelve. 19The children of Hashum, two hundred Twenty-three. 20The children of Gibbar, ninety-five. 21The children of Bethlehem, one hundred twenty-three. 22The men of Netophah, fifty-six. 23The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 24The children of Azmaveth, forty-two. 25The children of Kiriath Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 26The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 27The men of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two. 28The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three. 29The children of Nebo, fifty-two. 30The children of Magbish, one hundred fifty-six. 31The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 32The children of Harim, three hundred twenty. 33The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five. 34The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 35The children of Senaah, three thousand six hundred thirty. 36The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. 37The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 38The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 39The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen. 40The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy-four. 41The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred twenty-eight. 42The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all one hundred thirty-nine. 43The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 44the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, 45the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, 46the children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai, the children of Hanan, 47the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, 48the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 49the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, 50the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephisim, 51the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 54the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 55The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda, 56the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 57the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Ami. 58All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two. 59These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: 60the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. 61Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. 62These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. 63The governor said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. 64The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 65besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and they had two hundred singing men and singing women. 66Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; 67their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 68Some of the heads of fathers’ houses, when they came to the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place: 69they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments. 70So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Chapter 3

1When the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. 3They set the altar on its base; for fear was on them because of the peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon to Yahweh, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4They kept the feast of tents, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required; 5and afterward the continual burnt offering, and the offerings of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to Yahweh. 6From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh: but the foundation of the temple of Yahweh was not yet laid. 7They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, to them of Sidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. 8Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of Yahweh. 9Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites. 10When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, after the order of David king of Israel. 11They sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, saying, For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel. All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid. 12But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: 13so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Chapter 4

1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel; 2then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ houses, and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here. 3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us. 4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5and hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. 6In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7In the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian character, and set forth in the Syrian language. 8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: 9then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, 10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth. 11This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth. 12Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you are come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations. 13Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. 14Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king; 15that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste. 16We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River. 17Then sent the king an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace, and so forth. 18The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. 20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them. 21Make you now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me. 22Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? 23Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. 24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Chapter 5

1Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel prophesied they to them. 2Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them. 3At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? 4Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were who were making this building. 5But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, until the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it. 6The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king; 7they sent a letter to him, in which was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace. 8Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. 9Then asked we those elders, and said to them thus, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? 10We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at the head of them. 11Thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. 13But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. 14The gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15and he said to him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place. 16Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not completed. 17Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Chapter 6

1Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 2There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll, and therein was thus written for a record: 3In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the height of it sixty cubits, and the breadth of it sixty cubits; 4with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house. 5Also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, everyone to its place; and you shall put them in the house of God. 6Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, be you far from there: 7let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place. 8Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men, that they be not hindered. 9That which they have need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail; 10that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. 11Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: 12and the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence. 13Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions, because that Darius the king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence. 14The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16The children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18They set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. 19The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21The children of Israel who had come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate, 22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Chapter 7

1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest; 6this Ezra went up from Babylon: and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Yahweh his God on him. 7There went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9For on the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him. 10For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances. 11Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of Yahweh, and of his statutes to Israel: 12Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect and so forth. 13I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you. 14Because you are sent of the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand, 15and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16and all the silver and gold that you shall find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18Whatever shall seem good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do you after the will of your God. 19The vessels that are given you for the service of the house of your God, deliver you before the God of Jerusalem. 20Whatever more shall be needful for the house of your God, which you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. 21I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence, 22to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred measures of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24Also we inform you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on them. 25You, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God who is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach you him who doesn’t know them. 26Whoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 27Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem; 28and has extended loving kindness to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh my God on me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

Chapter 8

1Now these are the heads of their fathers’ houses, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty. 4Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males. 5Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males. 6Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males. 7Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males. 8Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males. 9Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males. 11Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males. 12Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males. 13Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males. 14Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. 15I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. 16Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, who were teachers. 17I sent them forth to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo, and his brothers the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. 18According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; 19and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; 20and of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were mentioned by name. 21Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him. 23So we fasted and begged our God for this: and he was entreated of us. 24Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them, 25and weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered: 26I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels one hundred talents; of gold one hundred talents; 27and twenty bowls of gold, of one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. 28I said to them, You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers. 29Watch you, and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ houses of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Yahweh. 30So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God. 31Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way. 32We came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. 33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite; 34the whole by number and by weight: and all the weight was written at that time. 35The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering to Yahweh. 36They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps, and to the governors beyond the River: and they furthered the people and the house of God.

Chapter 9

1Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands: yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass. 3When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded. 4Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat confounded until the evening offering. 5At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God; 6and I said, my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up to the heavens. 7Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty to this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the ruins of it, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10Now, our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments, 11which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness: 12now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever. 13After all that is come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, 14shall we again break your commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? would not you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? 15Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this.

Chapter 10

1Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore. 2Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing. 3Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4Arise; for the matter belongs to you, and we are with you: be of good courage, and do it. 5Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore. 6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity. 7They made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem; 8and that whoever didn’t come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity. 9Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain. 10Ezra the priest stood up, and said to them, You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel. 11Now therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women. 12Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, As you have said concerning us, so must we do. 13But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside: neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. 14Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges of it, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter be dispatched. 15Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. 16The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ houses, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. 17They made an end with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month. 18Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: namely, of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt. 20Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23Of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the porters: Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. 25Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28Of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai. 29Of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth. 30Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh. 31of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32Benjamin, Malluch, Shemariah. 33Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei. 34Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 35Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu, 38and Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, 39and Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 40Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41Azarel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42Shallum, Amariah, Joseph. 43Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, and Joel, Benaiah. 44All these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had children.

Nehemiah

Chapter 1

1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2that Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3They said to me, The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates of it are burned with fire. 4It happened, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, 5and said, I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments: 6Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned: 7we have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses. 8Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples: 9but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there. 10Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand. 11Lord, I beg you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cup bearer to the king.

Chapter 2

1It happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been before sad in his presence. 2The king said to me, Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid. 3I said to the king, Let the king live forever: why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and the gates of it are consumed with fire? 4Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may build it. 6The king said to me (the queen also sitting by him), For how long shall your journey be? and when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 7Moreover I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah; 8and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. The king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on me. 9Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen. 10When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 11So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. 12I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on. 13I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal’s well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates of it were consumed with fire. 14Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass. 15Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. 16The rulers didn’t know where I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work. 17Then said I to them, You see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and the gates of it are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 18I told them of the hand of my God which was good on me, as also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that you do? will you rebel against the king? 20Then answered I them, and said to them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

Chapter 3

1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even to the tower of Hammeah they sanctified it, to the tower of Hananel. 2Next to him built the men of Jericho. Next to them built Zaccur the son of Imri. 3The fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build; they laid the beams of it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it. 4Next to them repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz. Next to them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel. Next to them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. 5Next to them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles didn’t put their necks to the work of their lord. 6The old gate repaired Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams of it, and set up the doors of it, and the bolts of it, and the bars of it. 7Next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, that appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the River. 8Next to him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths. Next to him repaired Hananiah one of the perfumers, and they fortified Jerusalem even to the broad wall. 9Next to them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. 10Next to them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, over against his house. Next to him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabneiah. 11Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hasshub the son of Pahathmoab, repaired another portion, and the tower of the furnaces. 12Next to him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. 13The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it, and one thousand cubits of the wall to the dung gate. 14The dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem; he built it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it. 15The spring gate repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even to the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, to the place over against the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men. 17After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district. 18After him repaired their brothers, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19Next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over against the ascent to the armory at the turning of the wall. 20After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21After him repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22After him repaired the priests, the men of the Plain. 23After them repaired Benjamin and Hasshub over against their house. After them repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah beside his own house. 24After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another portion, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, and to the corner. 25Palal the son of Uzai repaired over against the turning of the wall, and the tower that stands out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh repaired. 26(Now the Nethinim lived in Ophel, to the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that stands out.) 27After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, over against the great tower that stands out, and to the wall of Ophel. 28Above the horse gate repaired the priests, everyone over against his own house. 29After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his own house. After him repaired Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 30After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another portion. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber. 31After him repaired Malchijah one of the goldsmiths to the house of the Nethinim, and of the merchants, over against the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the ascent of the corner. 32Between the ascent of the corner and the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.

Chapter 4

1But it happened that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned? 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall. 4Hear, our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity; 5and don’t cover their iniquity, and don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have provoked you to anger before the builders. 6So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half the height of it: for the people had a mind to work. 7But it happened that when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry; 8and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein. 9But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11Our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, until we come into the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease. 12It happened that when the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, You must return to us. 13Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set there the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Don’t be you afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15It happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, that we returned all of us to the wall, everyone to his work. 16It happened from that time forth, that half of my servants worked in the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17They all built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other held his weapon; 18and the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me. 19I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, one far from another: 20in whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort you there to us; our God will fight for us. 21So we worked in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. 22Likewise at the same time said I to the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day. 23So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, everyone went with his weapon to the water.

Chapter 5

1Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews. 2For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live. 3Some also there were that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get grain, because of the dearth. 4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute on our fields and our vineyards. 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children: and behold, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards. 6I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, You exact usury, everyone of his brother. I held a great assembly against them. 8I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word. 9Also I said, The thing that you do is not good: ought you not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies? 10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, do lend them money and grain. Please let us leave off this usury. 11Please restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you exact of them. 12Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise. 13Also I shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. All the assembly said, Amen, and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise. 14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15But the former governors who were before me were chargeable to the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants bore rule over the people: but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God. 16Yes, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered there to the work. 17Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, besides those who came to us from among the nations that were round about us. 18Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I didn’t demand the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this people. 19Remember to me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.

Chapter 6

1Now it happened, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates;) 2that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 3I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you? 4They sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 5Then sent Sanballat his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, 6in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause you are building the wall: and you would be their king, according to these words. 7You have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. 8Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as you say, but you feign them out of your own heart. 9For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it not be done. But now, God, strengthen you my hands. 10I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to kill you; yes, in the night will they come to kill you. 11I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. 12I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear. 15So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16It happened, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was worked of our God. 17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. 18For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife. 19Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

Chapter 7

1Now it happened, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. 3I said to them, Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and bar you them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house. 4Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. 5My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written therein: 6These are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city; 7who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. 9The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. 10The children of Arah, six hundred fifty-two. 11The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 12The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 13The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five. 14The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 15The children of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight. 16The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight. 17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two. 18The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven. 19The children of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven. 20The children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five. 21The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22The children of Hashum, three hundred Twenty-eight. 23The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four. 24The children of Hariph, one hundred twelve. 25The children of Gibeon, ninety-five. 26The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight. 27The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 28The men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two. 29The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 30The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 31The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. 32The men of Bethel and Ai, a hundred twenty-three. 33The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. 34The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 35The children of Harim, three hundred twenty. 36The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 37The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one. 38The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty. 39The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. 40The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 41The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 42The children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. 43The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy-four. 44The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred forty-eight. 45The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight. 46The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 47the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, 48the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, 49the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, 50the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, 51the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah. 52The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim, 53the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 54the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 55the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 56the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 57The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, 58the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 59the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Amon. 60All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two. 61These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel: 62The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two. 63Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. 64These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. 65The governor said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. 66The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 67besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women. 68Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; 69their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty. 70Some from among the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priests’ garments. 71Some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. 72That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests’ garments. 73So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were in their cities.

Chapter 8

1All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. 2Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6and Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground. 7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. 9Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to Yahweh your God; don’t mourn, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved; for the joy of Yahweh is your strength. 11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved. 12All the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 13On the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. 14They found written in the law, how that Yahweh had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 15and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth to the mountain, and get olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. 16So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. 17All the assembly of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

Chapter 9

1Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth on them. 2The seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Yahweh their God a fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshiped Yahweh their God. 4Then stood up on the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to Yahweh their God. 5Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. 6You are Yahweh, even you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all; and the army of heaven worships you. 7You are Yahweh the God, who did choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham, 8and found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his seed, and have performed your words; for you are righteous. 9You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea, 10and shown signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and did get you a name, as it is this day. 11You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers you did cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters. 12Moreover in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go. 13You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, 14and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant, 15and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commanded those who they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them. 16But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and didn’t listen to your commandments, 17and refused to obey, neither were mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them. 18Yes, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt, and had committed awful blasphemies; 19yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go. 20You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. 21Yes, forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell. 22Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you did allot after their portions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23Their children also multiplied you as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you did say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it. 24So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. 25They took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance: so they ate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness. 26Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their back, and killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies. 27Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries. 28But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore left you them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times did you deliver them according to your mercies, 29and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they dealt proudly, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, (which if a man do, he shall live in them), and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. 30Yet many years did you bear with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gave you them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you did not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God. 32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keep covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33However you are just in all that is come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly; 34neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you did testify against them. 35For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and fat land which you gave before them, neither turned they from their wicked works. 36Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat the fruit of it and the good of it, behold, we are servants in it. 37It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. 38Yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal to it.

Chapter 10

1Now those who sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 2Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these were the priests. 9The Levites: namely, Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. 14The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, 20Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26and Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 28The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge, and understanding; 29They joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes; 30and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; 31and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy of them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. 32Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God; 33for the show bread, and for the continual meal offering, and for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34We cast lots, the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of Yahweh our God, as it is written in the law; 35and to bring the first fruits of our ground, and the first fruits of all fruit of all manner of trees, year by year, to the house of Yahweh; 36also the firstborn of our sons, and of our livestock, as it is written in the law, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37and that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, and our wave offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. 38The priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. 39For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests who minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

Chapter 11

1The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities. 2The people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem. 3Now these are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah lived everyone in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants. 4In Jerusalem lived certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez; 5and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite. 6All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred sixty-eight valiant men. 7These are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah. 8After him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight. 9Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city. 10Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, 11Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God, 12and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, 13and his brothers, chiefs of fathers’ houses, two hundred forty-two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14and their brothers, mighty men of valor, one hundred twenty-eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim. 15Of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God; 17and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred eighty-four. 19Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred seventy-two. 20The residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance. 21But the Nethinim lived in Ophel: and Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim. 22The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God. 23For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required. 24Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people. 25As for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and the towns of it, and in Dibon and the towns of it, and in Jekabzeel and the villages of it, 26and in Jeshua, and in Moladah, and Beth Pelet, 27and in Hazar Shual, and in Beersheba and the towns of it, 28and in Ziklag, and in Meconah and in the towns of it, 29and in En Rimmon, and in Zorah, and in Jarmuth, 30Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields of it, Azekah and the towns of it. So they encamped from Beersheba to the valley of Hinnom. 31The children of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, and at Bethel and the towns of it, 32at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. 36Of the Levites, certain divisions in Judah were joined to Benjamin.

Chapter 12

1Now these are the priests and the Levites who went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah. 7Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua. 8Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers. 9Also Bakbukiah and Unno, their brothers, were over against them according to their offices. 10Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada, 11and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua. 12In the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19and of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. 22As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of fathers’ houses; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23The sons of Levi, heads of fathers’ houses, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24The chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch next to watch. 25Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the watch at the storehouses of the gates. 26These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest the scribe. 27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with giving thanks, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. 28The sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29also from Beth Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had built them villages round about Jerusalem. 30The priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall. 31Then I brought up the princes of Judah on the wall, and appointed two great companies who gave thanks and went in procession. One went on the right hand on the wall toward the dung gate; 32and after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, 33and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 34Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph; 36and his brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them. 37By the spring gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water gate eastward. 38The other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, on the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall, 39and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even to the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard. 40So stood the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me; 41and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. 43They offered great sacrifices that day, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. 44On that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the wave offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who waited. 45They kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and so did the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. 46For in the days of David and Asaph of old there was a chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, as every day required: and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Chapter 13

1On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever, 2because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah, 5had prepared for him a great chamber, where before they laid the meal offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the wave offerings for the priests. 6But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king, 7and I came to Jerusalem, and understood the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8It grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and there brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal offerings and the frankincense. 10I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, were fled everyone to his field. 11Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries. 13I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers. 14Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the observances of it. 15In those days saw I in Judah some men treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading donkeys therewith; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day in which they sold food. 16There lived men of Tyre also therein, who brought in fish, and all manner of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? 18Didn’t your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this evil on us, and on this city? yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath. 19It came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21Then I testified against them, and said to them, Why lodge you about the wall? if you do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. 22I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness. 23In those days also saw I the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. 25I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves. 26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin. 27Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women? 28One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29Remember them, my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 30Thus cleansed I them from all foreigners, and appointed charges for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work; 31and for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.

Esther

Chapter 1

1Now it happened in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty-seven provinces), 2that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him. 4He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days. 5When these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6There were hangings of white cloth, of green, and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, and white, and yellow, and black marble. 7They gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king. 8The drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure. 9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven chamberlains who ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 11to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful to look on. 12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very angry, and his anger burned in him. 13Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and judgment; 14and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom), 15What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? 16Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples who are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 17For this deed of the queen will come abroad to all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come. 18This day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say the like to all the king’s princes. So will there arise much contempt and wrath. 19If it please the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it not be altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she. 20When the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small. 21The saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: 22for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.

Chapter 2

1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then said the king’s servants who ministered to him, Let there be beautiful young virgins sought for the king: 3and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hegai the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let cosmetics be given them; 4and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. The thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, 6who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7He brought up Hadassah, who is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. 8So it happened, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her cosmetics, with her portions of food, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of the king’s house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women. 10Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known. 11Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her. 12Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after it had been done to her as prescribed for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women), 13then in this wise came the maiden to the king: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king’s house. 14In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in to the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name. 15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her. 16So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17The king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king. 19When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. 20Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. 21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the threshold, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. 22The thing became known to Mordecai, who shown it to Esther the queen; and Esther told the king of it in Mordecai’s name. 23When inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

Chapter 3

1After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2All the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor did him reverence. 3Then the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, Why disobey you the king’s commandment? 4Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told those who he was a Jew. 5When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. 7In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. 8Haman said to king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them. 9If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have the charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries. 10The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy. 11The king said to Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you. 12Then were the king’s scribes called in the first month, on the thirteenth day of it; and there was written according to all that Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and it was sealed with the king’s ring. 13Letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. 14A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day. 15The posts went forth in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.

Chapter 4

1Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2and he came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter within the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3In every province, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4Esther’s maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent clothing to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he didn’t receive it. 5Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend on her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was. 6So Hathach went forth to Mordecai to the broad place of the city, which was before the king’s gate. 7Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 8Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to charge her that she should go in to the king, to make supplication to him, and to make request before him, for her people. 9Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai saying: 11All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days. 12They told to Mordecai Esther’s words. 13Then Mordecai bade them return answer to Esther, Don’t think to yourself that you shall escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. 14For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish: and who knows whether you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15Then Esther bade them return answer to Mordecai, 16Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast you for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Chapter 5

1Now it happened on the third day, that Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of the house. 2It was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter. 3Then said the king to her, What will you, queen Esther? and what is your request? it shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom. 4Esther said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him. 5Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? and it shall be granted you: and what is your request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is: 8if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said. 9Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10Nevertheless Haman refrained himself, and went home; and he sent and fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife. 11Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 12Haman said moreover, Yes, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow also am I invited by her together with the king. 13Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. 14Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak you to the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go you in merrily with the king to the banquet. The thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Chapter 6

1On that night the king couldn’t sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, of those who kept the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. 3The king said, What honor and dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then the king’s servants who ministered to him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

4The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5The king’s servants said to him, Behold, Haman stands in the court. The king said, Let him come in. 6So Haman came in. The king said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? 7Haman said to the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8let royal clothing be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a crown royal is set: 9and let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man therewith whom the king delights to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. 10Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken. 11Then took Haman the clothing and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. 12Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered. 13Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him. 14While they were yet talking with him, came the king’s chamberlains, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Chapter 7

1So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. 2The king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is your petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted you: and what is your request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 3Then Esther the queen answered, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: 4for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondservants and bondmaids, I had held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s damage. 5Then spoke the king Ahasuerus and said to Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that dared presume in his heart to do so? 6Esther said, An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. 7The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. 8Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen on the couch whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he even force the queen before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains who were before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, stands in the house of Haman. The king said, Hang him thereon. 10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

Chapter 8

1On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her. 2The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king. 5She said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces: 6for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives? 7Then the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged on the gallows, because he laid his hand on the Jews. 8Write you also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse. 9Then were the king’s scribes called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day of it; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language. 10He wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king’s service, bred of the stud: 11in which the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, 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 take the spoil of them for a prey, 12on one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. 13A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14So the posts who rode on swift steeds that were used in the king’s service went out, being hurried and pressed on by the king’s commandment; and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace. 15Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad. 16The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. 17In every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.

Chapter 9

1Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them, (whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over those who hated them), 2the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them was fallen on all the peoples. 3All the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and those who did the king’s business, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai was fallen on them. 4For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went forth throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater. 5The Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they would to those who hated them. 6In Shushan the palace the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 8and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, 9and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jew’s enemy, killed they; but they didn’t lay their hand on the spoil. 11On that day the number of those who were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. 12The king said to Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? and it shall be granted you: or what is your request further? and it shall be done. 13Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according to this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows. 14The king commanded it so to be done: and a decree was given out in Shushan; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons. 15The Jews who were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men in Shushan; but they didn’t lay their hand on the spoil. 16The other Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and killed of those who hated them seventy-five thousand; but they didn’t lay their hand on the spoil. 17This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 18But the Jews who were in Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day of it, and on the fourteenth of it; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19Therefore do the Jews of the villages, who dwell in the unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another. 20Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21to enjoin those who they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the needy. 23The Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written to them; 24because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; 25but when the matter came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26Therefore they called these days Purim, after the name of Pur. Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come to them, 27the Jews ordained, and took on them, and on their seed, and on all such as joined themselves to them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to the writing of it, and according to the appointed time of it, every year; 28and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memory of them perish from their seed. 29Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30He sent letters to all the Jews, to the hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had ordained for themselves and for their seed, in the matter of the fastings and their cry. 32The commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

Chapter 10

1The king Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and on the islands of the sea. 2All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3For Mordecai the Jew was next to king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

Job

Chapter 1

1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil. 2There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. 4His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Thus did Job continually.

6Now it happened on the day when the God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them. 7Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

8Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”

9Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”

12Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t put forth your hand.”

So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh. 13It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 14that there came a messenger to Job, and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

16While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, “The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

17While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

18While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 19and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you.”

20Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped. 21He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be the name of Yahweh.” 22In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

Chapter 2

1Again it happened on the day when the God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh. 2Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

3Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.”

4Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.”

6Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.”

7So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head. 8He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes. 9Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”

10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”

In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips. 11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. 12When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky. 13So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Chapter 3

1After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth. 2Job answered:

3“Let the day perish in which I was born,

The night which said, ‘There is a boy conceived.’

4Let that day be darkness;

Don’t let God from above seek for it,

Neither let the light shine on it.

5Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own.

Let a cloud dwell on it.

Let all that makes black the day terrify it.

6As for that night, let thick darkness seize on it.

Let it not rejoice among the days of the year.

Let it not come into the number of the months.

7Behold, let that night be barren.

Let no joyful voice come therein.

8Let them curse it who curse the day,

Who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

9Let the stars of the twilight of it be dark.

Let it look for light, but have none,

Neither let it see the eyelids of the morning,

10Because it didn’t shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,

Nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

11“Why didn’t I die from the womb?

Why didn’t I give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

12Why did the knees receive me?

Or why the breast, that I should suck?

13For now should I have lain down and been quiet.

I should have slept, then I would have been at rest,

14With kings and counselors of the earth,

Who built up waste places for themselves;

15Or with princes who had gold,

Who filled their houses with silver:

16Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been,

As infants who never saw light.

17There the wicked cease from troubling;

There the weary are at rest.

18There the prisoners are at ease together.

They don’t hear the voice of the taskmaster.

19The small and the great are there.

The servant is free from his master.

20“Why is light given to him who is in misery,

Life to the bitter in soul,

21Who long for death, but it doesn’t come;

Dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

22Who rejoice exceedingly,

Are glad, when they can find the grave?

23Why is light given to a man whose way is hid,

Whom God has hedged in?

24For my sighing comes before I eat,

My groanings are poured out like water.

25For the thing which I fear comes on me,

That which I am afraid of comes to me.

26I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest;

But trouble comes.”

Chapter 4

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved?

But who can withhold himself from speaking?

3Behold, you have instructed many,

You have strengthened the weak hands.

4Your words have supported him who was falling,

You have made firm the feeble knees.

5But now it is come to you, and you faint;

It touches you, and you are troubled.

6Isn’t your piety your confidence,

The integrity of your ways your hope?

7“Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent?

Or where were the upright cut off?

8According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity,

And sow trouble,

Reap the same.

9By the breath of God they perish,

By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion,

The teeth of the young lions, are broken.

11The old lion perishes for lack of prey,

The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12“Now a thing was secretly brought to me,

My ear received a whisper of it.

13In thoughts from the visions of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

14Fear came on me, and trembling,

Which made all my bones shake.

15Then a spirit passed before my face;

The hair of my flesh stood up.

16It stood still, but I couldn’t discern the appearance of it;

A form was before my eyes.

Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

17‘Shall mortal man be more just than God?

Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

18Behold, he puts no trust in his servants.

He charges his angels with error.

19How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay,

Whose foundation is in the dust,

Who are crushed before the moth!

20Between morning and evening they are destroyed.

They perish forever without any regarding it.

21Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them?

They die, and that without wisdom.’

Chapter 5

1“Call now; is there any who will answer you?

To which of the holy ones will you turn?

2For resentment kills the foolish man,

And jealousy kills the simple.

3I have seen the foolish taking root,

But suddenly I cursed his habitation.

4His children are far from safety,

They are crushed in the gate.

Neither is there any to deliver them,

5Whose harvest the hungry eats up,

And take it even out of the thorns;

The snare gapes for their substance.

6For affliction doesn’t come forth from the dust,

Neither does trouble spring out of the ground;

7But man is born to trouble,

As the sparks fly upward.

8“But as for me, I would seek God,

To God would I commit my cause;

9Who does great things that can’t be fathomed,

Marvelous things without number;

10Who gives rain on the earth,

And sends waters on the fields;

11So that he sets up on high those who are low,

Those who mourn are exalted to safety.

12He frustrates the devices of the crafty,

So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.

13He takes the wise in their own craftiness;

The counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

14They meet with darkness in the day time,

And grope at noonday as in the night.

15But he saves from the sword of their mouth,

Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

16So the poor has hope,

And injustice shuts her mouth.

17“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects:

Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

18For he wounds, and binds up;

He injures, and his hands make whole.

19He will deliver you in six troubles;

Yes, in seven there shall no evil touch you.

20In famine he will redeem you from death;

In war, from the power of the sword.

21You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,

Neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

22At destruction and famine you shall laugh,

Neither shall you be afraid of the animals of the earth.

23For you shall be in league with the stones of the field.

The animals of the field shall be at peace with you.

24You shall know that your tent is in peace.

You shall visit your fold, and shall miss nothing.

25You shall know also that your seed shall be great,

Your offspring as the grass of the earth.

26You shall come to your grave in a full age,

Like a shock of grain comes in its season.

27Look this, we have searched it, so it is;

Hear it, and know it for your good.”

Chapter 6

1Then Job answered,

2“Oh that my anguish were weighed,

And all my calamity laid in the balances!

3For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas,

Therefore have my words been rash.

4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me,

My spirit drinks up their poison.

The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.

5Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass?

Or does the ox low over his fodder?

6Can that which has no flavor be eaten without salt?

Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

7My soul refuses to touch them;

They are as loathsome food to me.

8“Oh that I might have my request;

That God would grant the thing that I long for!

9Even that it would please God to crush me;

That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

10Be it still my consolation,

Yes, let me exult in pain that doesn’t spare,

That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

11What is my strength, that I should wait?

What is my end, that I should be patient?

12Is my strength the strength of stones?

Or is my flesh of brass?

13Isn’t it that I have no help in me,

That wisdom is driven quite from me?

14“To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend;

Even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

15My brothers have dealt deceitfully as a brook,

As the channel of brooks that pass away;

16Which are black by reason of the ice,

in which the snow hides itself:

17In the dry season, they vanish.

When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

18The caravans that travel beside them turn aside;

They go up into the waste, and perish.

19The caravans of Tema looked,

The companies of Sheba waited for them.

20They were distressed because they were confident;

They came there, and were confounded.

21For now you are nothing.

You see a terror, and are afraid.

22Did I say, ‘Give to me?’

Or, ‘Offer a present for me from your substance?’

23Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary’s hand?’

Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?’

24“Teach me, and I will hold my peace;

Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25How forcible are words of uprightness!

But your reproof, what does it reprove?

26Do you intend to reprove words,

Seeing that the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?

27Yes, you would even cast lots for the fatherless,

And make merchandise of your friend.

28Now therefore be pleased to look at me,

For surely I shall not lie to your face.

29Please return. Let there be no injustice;

Yes, return again, my cause is righteous.

30Is there injustice on my tongue?

Can’t my taste discern mischievous things?

Chapter 7

1“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth?

Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?

2As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow,

As a hireling who looks for his wages,

3So am I made to possess months of misery,

Wearisome nights are appointed to me.

4When I lie down, I say,

‘When shall I arise, and the night be gone?’

I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust.

My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,

And are spent without hope.

7Oh remember that my life is a breath.

My eye shall no more see good.

8The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more.

Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away,

So he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more.

10He shall return no more to his house,

Neither shall his place know him any more.

11“Therefore I will not keep silent.

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit.

I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a sea monster,

That you put a guard over me?

13When I say, ‘My bed shall comfort me,

My couch shall ease my complaint;’

14Then you scare me with dreams,

And terrify me through visions:

15So that my soul chooses strangling,

Death rather than my bones.

16I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever.

Leave me alone; for my days are but a breath.

17What is man, that you should magnify him,

That you should set your mind on him,

18That you should visit him every morning,

And test him every moment?

19How long will you not look away from me,

Nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

20If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men?

Why have you set me as a mark for you,

So that I am a burden to myself?

21Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity?

For now shall I lie down in the dust.

You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”

Chapter 8

1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

2“How long will you speak these things?

Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

3Does God pervert justice?

Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4If your children have sinned against him,

He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience;

5If you want to seek God diligently,

Make your supplication to the Almighty.

6If you were pure and upright,

Surely now he would awaken for you,

And make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

7Though your beginning was small,

Yet your latter end would greatly increase.

8“Please inquire of past generations,

Find out about the learning of their fathers.

9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing,

Because our days on earth are a shadow.)

10Shall they not teach you, tell you,

And utter words out of their heart?

11“Can the papyrus grow up without mire?

Can the rushes grow without water?

12While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down,

It withers before any other reed.

13So are the paths of all who forget God.

The hope of the godless man shall perish,

14Whose confidence shall break apart,

Whose trust is a spider’s web.

15He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand.

He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.

16He is green before the sun,

His shoots go forth over his garden.

17His roots are wrapped around the rock pile,

He sees the place of stones.

18If he is destroyed from his place,

Then it shall deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’

19Behold, this is the joy of his way:

Out of the earth shall others spring.

20“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man,

Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

21He will still fill your mouth with laughter,

Your lips with shouting.

22Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame.

The tent of the wicked shall be no more.”

Chapter 9

1Then Job answered,

2“Truly I know that it is so,

But how can man be just with God?

3If he is pleased to contend with him,

He can’t answer him one time in a thousand.

4God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength:

Who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?

5Who removes the mountains, and they don’t know it,

When he overturns them in his anger

6Who shakes the earth out of its place;

The pillars of it tremble;

7Who commands the sun, and it doesn’t rise,

And seals up the stars;

8Who alone stretches out the heavens,

Treads on the waves of the sea;

9Who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,

And the chambers of the south;

10Who does great things past finding out,

Yes, marvelous things without number.

11Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him.

He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.

12Behold, he snatches away; who can hinder him?

Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

13“God will not withdraw his anger;

The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.

14How much less shall I answer him,

Choose my words to argue with him?

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer.

I would make supplication to my judge.

16If I had called, and he had answered me,

Yet would I not believe that he listened to my voice.

17For he breaks me with a tempest,

Multiplies my wounds without cause.

18He will not allow me to take my breath,

But fills me with bitterness.

19If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty!

If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’

20Though I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me.

Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse.

21I am blameless. I don’t regard myself.

I despise my life.

22“It is all the same. Therefore I say,

He destroys the blameless and the wicked.

23If the scourge kills suddenly,

He will mock at the trial of the innocent.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.

He covers the faces of the judges of it.

If not he, then who is it?

25“Now my days are swifter than a runner.

They flee away, they see no good,

26They have passed away as the swift ships,

As the eagle that swoops on the prey.

27If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,

I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;’

28I am afraid of all my sorrows,

I know that you will not hold me innocent.

29I shall be condemned;

Why then do I labor in vain?

30If I wash myself with snow,

And cleanse my hands with lye,

31Yet you will plunge me in the ditch.

My own clothes shall abhor me.

32For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,

That we should come together in judgment.

33There is no umpire between us,

That might lay his hand on us both.

34Let him take his rod away from me,

Let his terror not make me afraid:

35Then I would speak, and not fear him,

For I am not so in myself.

Chapter 10

1“My soul is weary of my life;

I will give free course to my complaint.

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me,

Show me why you contend with me.

3Is it good to you that you should oppress,

That you should despise the work of your hands,

And smile on the counsel of the wicked?

4Do you have eyes of flesh?

Or do you see as man sees?

5Are your days as the days of mortals,

Or your years as man’s years,

6That you inquire after my iniquity,

And search after my sin?

7Although you know that I am not wicked,

There is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

8‘Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether;

Yet you destroy me.

9Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay.

Will you bring me into dust again?

10Haven’t you poured me out like milk,

And curdled me like cheese?

11You have clothed me with skin and flesh,

And knit me together with bones and sinews.

12You have granted me life and loving kindness.

Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

13Yet you hid these things in your heart.

I know that this is with you:

14If I sin, then you mark me.

You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

15If I am wicked, woe to me.

If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head,

Being filled with disgrace,

And conscious of my affliction.

16If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion.

Again you show yourself powerful to me.

17You renew your witnesses against me,

And increase your indignation on me.

Changes and warfare are with me.

18“‘Why, then, have you brought me forth out of the womb?

I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.

19I should have been as though I had not been.

I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

20Aren’t my days few? Cease then,

Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,

21Before I go where I shall not return from,

To the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

22The land dark as midnight,

Of the shadow of death, without any order,

Where the light is as midnight.’”

Chapter 11

1Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered,

2“Shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered?

Should a man full of talk be justified?

3Should your boastings make men hold their peace?

When you mock, shall no man make you ashamed?

4For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure,

I am clean in your eyes.’

5But oh that God would speak,

And open his lips against you,

6That he would show you the secrets of wisdom!

For true wisdom has two sides.

Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

7“Can you fathom the mystery of God?

Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

8They are high as heaven. What can you do?

Deeper than Sheol: what can you know?

9The measure of it is longer than the earth,

And broader than the sea.

10If he passes by, or confines,

Or convenes a court, then who can oppose him?

11For he knows false men.

He sees iniquity also, even though he doesn’t consider it.

12But vain man can become wise

If a man can be born as a wild donkey’s colt.

13“If you set your heart aright,

Stretch out your hands toward him.

14If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

Don’t let unrighteousness dwell in your tents.

15Surely then shall you lift up your face without spot;

Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear:

16For you shall forget your misery;

You shall remember it as waters that are passed away,

17Life shall be clearer than the noonday;

Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning.

18You shall be secure, because there is hope;

Yes, you shall search, and shall take your rest in safety.

19Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid;

Yes, many shall court your favor.

20But the eyes of the wicked shall fail,

They shall have no way to flee;

Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit.”

Chapter 12

1Then Job answered,

2“No doubt, but you are the people,

And wisdom shall die with you.

3But I have understanding as well as you;

I am not inferior to you:

Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?

4I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor,

I, who called on God, and he answered.

The just, the blameless man is a joke.

5In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune,

It is ready for them whose foot slips.

6The tents of robbers prosper,

Those who provoke God are secure;

Who carry their God in their hands.

7“But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you;

The birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you;

The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

9Who doesn’t know that in all these,

The hand of Yahweh has done this,

10In whose hand is the life of every living thing,

The breath of all mankind?

11Doesn’t the ear try words,

Even as the palate tastes its food?

12With aged men is wisdom,

In length of days understanding.

13“With God is wisdom and might.

He has counsel and understanding.

14Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again;

He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

15Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up;

Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

16With him is strength and wisdom;

The deceived and the deceiver are his.

17He leads counselors away stripped.

He makes judges fools.

18He loosens the bond of kings,

He binds their waist with a belt.

19He leads priests away stripped,

And overthrows the mighty.

20He removes the speech of those who are trusted,

And takes away the understanding of the elders.

21He pours contempt on princes,

And loosens the belt of the strong.

22He uncovers deep things out of darkness,

And brings out to light the shadow of death.

23He increases the nations, and he destroys them.

He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth,

And causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25They grope in the dark without light.

He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

Chapter 13

1“Behold, my eye has seen all this,

My ear has heard and understood it.

2What you know, I know also.

I am not inferior to you.

3“Surely I would speak to the Almighty.

I desire to reason with God.

4But you are forgers of lies.

You are all physicians of no value.

5Oh that you would be completely silent!

Then you would be wise.

6Hear now my reasoning.

Listen to the pleadings of my lips.

7Will you speak unrighteously for God,

And talk deceitfully for him?

8Will you show partiality to him?

Will you contend for God?

9Is it good that he should search you out?

Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him?

10He will surely reprove you

If you secretly show partiality.

11Shall not his majesty make you afraid,

And his dread fall on you?

12Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,

Your defenses are defenses of clay.

13“Be silent, leave me alone, that I may speak.

Let come on me what will.

14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth,

And put my life in my hand?

15Behold, he will kill me; I have no hope.

Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him.

16This also shall be my salvation,

That a godless man shall not come before him.

17Hear diligently my speech.

Let my declaration be in your ears.

18See now, I have set my cause in order.

I know that I am righteous.

19Who is he who will contend with me?

For then would I hold my peace and give up the spirit.

20“Only don’t do two things to me;

Then I will not hide myself from your face:

21Withdraw your hand far from me;

And don’t let your terror make me afraid.

22Then call, and I will answer;

Or let me speak, and you answer me.

23How many are my iniquities and sins?

Make me know my disobedience and my sin.

24Why hide you your face,

And hold me for your enemy?

25Will you harass a driven leaf?

Will you pursue the dry stubble?

26For you write bitter things against me,

And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth:

27You also put my feet in the stocks,

And mark all my paths.

You set a bound to the soles of my feet:

28Though I am decaying like a rotten thing,

Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Chapter 14

1“Man, who is born of a woman,

Is of few days, and full of trouble.

2He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down.

He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

3Do you open your eyes on such a one,

And bring me into judgment with you?

4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?

Not one.

5Seeing his days are determined,

The number of his months is with you,

And you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass;

6Look away from him, that he may rest,

Until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

7“For there is hope for a tree,

If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,

That the tender branch of it will not cease.

8Though the root of it grows old in the earth,

And the stock of it dies in the ground;

9Yet through the scent of water it will bud,

And put forth boughs like a plant.

10But man dies, and is laid low.

Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?

11As the waters fail from the sea,

And the river wastes and dries up,

12So man lies down and doesn’t rise;

Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake,

Nor be roused out of their sleep.

13“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol,

That you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past,

That you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

14If a man dies, shall he live again?

All the days of my warfare would I wait,

Until my release should come.

15You would call, and I would answer you.

You would have a desire to the work of your hands.

16But now you number my steps.

Don’t you watch over my sin?

17My disobedience is sealed up in a bag.

You fasten up my iniquity.

18“But the mountain falling comes to nothing;

The rock is removed out of its place;

19The waters wear the stones;

The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth:

So you destroy the hope of man.

20You forever prevail against him, and he passes;

You change his face, and send him away.

21His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it;

They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

22But his flesh on him has pain;

His soul within him mourns.”

Chapter 15

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge,

And fill himself with the east wind?

3Should he reason with unprofitable talk,

Or with speeches with which he can do no good?

4Yes, you do away with fear,

And hinder devotion before God.

5For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

And you choose the language of the crafty.

6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

Yes, your own lips testify against you.

7“Are you the first man who was born?

Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8Have you heard the secret counsel of God?

Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9What do you know, that we don’t know?

What do you understand, which is not in us?

10With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men,

Much elder than your father.

11Are the consolations of God too small for you,

Even the word that is gentle toward you?

12Why does your heart carry you away?

Why do your eyes flash,

13That you turn your spirit against God,

And let such words go out of your mouth?

14What is man, that he should be clean?

He who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones;

Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight:

16How much less one who is abominable and corrupt,

A man who drinks iniquity like water!

17“I will show you, listen to me;

That which I have seen I will declare:

18(Which wise men have told

From their fathers, and have not hidden it;

19To whom alone the land was given,

And no stranger passed among them):

20The wicked man travails with pain all his days,

Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

21A sound of terrors is in his ears;

In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.

22He doesn’t believe that he shall return out of darkness,

He is waited for by the sword.

23He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’

He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24Distress and anguish make him afraid;

They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

25Because he has stretched out his hand against God,

And behaves himself proudly against the Almighty;

26He runs at him with a stiff neck,

With the thick shields of his bucklers;

27Because he has covered his face with his fatness,

And gathered fat on his thighs.

28He has lived in desolate cities,

In houses which no one inhabited,

Which were ready to become heaps.

29He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue,

Neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth.

30He shall not depart out of darkness;

The flame shall dry up his branches,

By the breath of God’s mouth shall he go away.

31Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;

For emptiness shall be his reward.

32It shall be accomplished before his time.

His branch shall not be green.

33He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine,

And shall cast off his flower as the olive tree.

34For the company of the godless shall be barren,

And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

35They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

Their heart prepares deceit.”

Chapter 16

1Then Job answered,

2“I have heard many such things.

Miserable comforters are you all!

3Shall vain words have an end?

Or what provokes you that you answer?

4I also could speak as you do.

If your soul were in my soul’s place,

I could join words together against you,

And shake my head at you.

5But I would strengthen you with my mouth.

The solace of my lips would relieve you.

6“Though I speak, my grief is not subsided.

Though I forbear, what am I eased?

7But now, God, you have surely worn me out.

You have made desolate all my company.

8You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me.

My leanness rises up against me,

It testifies to my face.

9He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me;

He has gnashed on me with his teeth:

My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.

10They have gaped on me with their mouth;

They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully.

They gather themselves together against me.

11God delivers me to the ungodly,

And casts me into the hands of the wicked.

12I was at ease, and he broke me apart.

Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces.

He has also set me up for his target.

13His archers surround me.

He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare.

He pours out my gall on the ground.

14He breaks me with breach on breach.

He runs on me like a giant.

15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin,

And have thrust my horn in the dust.

16My face is red with weeping.

Deep darkness is on my eyelids.

17Although there is no violence in my hands,

And my prayer is pure.

18“Earth, don’t cover my blood,

Let my cry have no place to rest.

19Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven.

He who vouches for me is on high.

20My friends scoff at me.

My eyes pour out tears to God,

21That he would maintain the right of a man with God,

Of a son of man with his neighbor!

22For when a few years are come,

I shall go the way from whence I shall not return.

Chapter 17

1“My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct,

And the grave is ready for me.

2Surely there are mockers with me,

My eye dwells on their provocation.

3“Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself.

Who is there who will strike hands with me?

4For you have hidden their heart from understanding,

Therefore shall you not exalt them.

5He who denounces his friends for a prey,

Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

6“But he has made me a byword of the people.

They spit in my face.

7My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow.

All my members are as a shadow.

8Upright men shall be astonished at this.

The innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.

9Yet shall the righteous hold on his way.

He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.

10But as for you all, come on now again;

I shall not find a wise man among you.

11My days are past, my plans are broken off,

As are the thoughts of my heart.

12They change the night into day,

Saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.

13If I look for Sheol as my house,

If I have spread my couch in the darkness,

14If I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’

To the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘my sister;’

15Where then is my hope?

As for my hope, who shall see it?

16Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol,

Or descend together into the dust?”

Chapter 18

1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

2“How long will you hunt for words?

Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

3Why are we counted as animals,

Which have become unclean in your sight?

4You who tear yourself in your anger,

Shall the earth be forsaken for you?

Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

5“Yes, the light of the wicked shall be put out,

The spark of his fire shall not shine.

6The light shall be dark in his tent,

His lamp above him shall be put out.

7The steps of his strength shall be shortened,

His own counsel shall cast him down.

8For he is cast into a net by his own feet,

And he wanders into its mesh.

9A snare shall take him by the heel;

A trap shall lay hold on him.

10A noose is hidden for him in the ground,

A trap for him in the way.

11Terrors shall make him afraid on every side,

And shall chase him at his heels.

12His strength shall be famished,

Calamity shall be ready at his side.

13The members of his body shall be devoured,

The firstborn of death shall devour his members.

14He shall be rooted out of his tent where he trusts.

He shall be brought to the king of terrors.

15There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his.

Sulfur shall be scattered on his habitation.

16His roots shall be dried up beneath,

Above shall his branch be cut off.

17His memory shall perish from the earth.

He shall have no name in the street.

18He shall be driven from light into darkness,

And chased out of the world.

19He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people,

Nor any remaining where he sojourned.

20Those who come after shall be astonished at his day,

As those who went before were frightened.

21Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous,

This is the place of him who doesn’t know God.”

Chapter 19

1Then Job answered,

2“How long will you torment me,

And crush me with words?

3You have reproached me ten times.

You aren’t ashamed that you attack me.

4If it is true that I have erred,

My error remains with myself.

5If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me,

And plead against me my reproach;

6Know now that God has subverted me,

And has surrounded me with his net.

7“Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard:

I cry for help, but there is no justice.

8He has walled up my way so that I can’t pass,

And has set darkness in my paths.

9He has stripped me of my glory,

And taken the crown from my head.

10He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone.

My hope he has plucked up like a tree.

11He has also kindled his wrath against me.

He counts me among his adversaries.

12His troops come on together,

Build a siege ramp against me,

And encamp around my tent.

13“He has put my brothers far from me.

My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.

14My relatives have gone away.

My familiar friends have forgotten me.

15Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger.

I am an alien in their sight.

16I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer;

I beg him with my mouth.

17My breath is offensive to my wife.

I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.

18Even young children despise me.

If I arise, they speak against me.

19All my familiar friends abhor me.

They whom I loved have turned against me.

20My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh.

I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

21“Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends;

For the hand of God has touched me.

22Why do you persecute me as God,

And are not satisfied with my flesh?

23“Oh that my words were now written!

Oh that they were inscribed in a book!

24That with an iron pen and lead

They were engraved in the rock forever!

25But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives.

In the end, he will stand upon the earth.

26After my skin is destroyed,

Then in my flesh shall I see God,

27Whom I, even I, shall see on my side.

My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger.

“My heart is consumed within me.

28If you say, ‘How we will persecute him!’

Because the root of the matter is found in me,

29Be afraid of the sword,

For wrath brings the punishments of the sword,

That you may know there is a judgment.”

Chapter 20

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,

2“Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me,

Even by reason of my haste that is in me.

3I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame;

The spirit of my understanding answers me.

4Don’t you know this from old time,

Since man was placed on earth,

5That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

The joy of the godless but for a moment?

6Though his height mount up to the heavens,

And his head reach to the clouds,

7Yet he shall perish forever like his own dung,

Those who have seen him shall say, ‘Where is he?’

8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:

Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.

9The eye which saw him shall see him no more,

Neither shall his place any more see him.

10His children shall seek the favor of the poor.

His hands shall give back his wealth.

11His bones are full of his youth,

But youth shall lie down with him in the dust.

12“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth,

Though he hide it under his tongue,

13Though he spare it, and will not let it go,

But keep it still within his mouth;

14Yet his food in his bowels is turned.

It is cobra venom within him.

15He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again.

God will cast them out of his belly.

16He shall suck cobra venom.

The viper’s tongue shall kill him.

17He shall not look at the rivers,

The flowing streams of honey and butter.

18That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down;

According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.

19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor.

He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

20“Because he knew no quietness within him,

He shall not save anything of that in which he delights.

21There was nothing left that he didn’t devour,

Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

22In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him:

The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.

23When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him.

It will rain on him while he is eating.

24He shall flee from the iron weapon.

The bronze arrow shall strike him through.

25He draws it forth, and it comes out of his body.

Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver.

Terrors are on him.

26All darkness is laid up for his treasures.

An unfanned fire shall devour him.

It shall consume that which is left in his tent.

27The heavens shall reveal his iniquity,

The earth shall rise up against him.

28The increase of his house shall depart;

They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.

29This is the portion of a wicked man from God,

The heritage appointed to him by God.”

Chapter 21

1Then Job answered,

2“Listen diligently to my speech.

Let this be your consolation.

3Allow me, and I also will speak;

After I have spoken, mock on.

4As for me, is my complaint to man?

Why shouldn’t I be impatient?

5Look at me, and be astonished.

Lay your hand on your mouth.

6When I remember, I am troubled.

Horror takes hold of my flesh.

7“Why do the wicked live,

Become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?

8Their child is established with them in their sight,

Their offspring before their eyes.

9Their houses are safe from fear,

Neither is the rod of God upon them.

10Their bulls breed without fail.

Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.

11They send forth their little ones like a flock.

Their children dance.

12They sing to the tambourine and harp,

And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

13They spend their days in prosperity.

In an instant they go down to Sheol.

14They tell God, ‘Depart from us,

For we don’t want to know about your ways.

15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’

16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand:

The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out?

That their calamity comes on them?

That God distributes sorrows in his anger?

18That they are as stubble before the wind,

As chaff that the storm carries away?

19You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’

Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.

20Let his own eyes see his destruction.

Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21For what does he care for his house after him,

When the number of his months is cut off?

22“Shall any teach God knowledge,

Seeing he judges those who are high?

23One dies in his full strength,

Being wholly at ease and quiet.

24His pails are full of milk.

The marrow of his bones is moistened.

25Another dies in bitterness of soul,

And never tastes of good.

26They lie down alike in the dust,

The worm covers them.

27“Behold, I know your thoughts,

The devices with which you would wrong me.

28For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince?

Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’

29Haven’t you asked wayfaring men?

Don’t you know their evidences,

30That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity?

That they are led forth to the day of wrath?

31Who shall declare his way to his face?

Who shall repay him what he has done?

32Yet shall he be borne to the grave,

Men shall keep watch over the tomb.

33The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him.

All men shall draw after him,

As there were innumerable before him.

34So how can you comfort me with nonsense,

Seeing that in your answers there remains only falsehood?”

Chapter 22

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2“Can a man be profitable to God?

Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous?

Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?

4Is it for your piety that he reproves you,

That he enters with you into judgment?

5Isn’t your wickedness great?

Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

6For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing,

And stripped the naked of their clothing.

7You haven’t given water to the weary to drink,

And you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth.

The honorable man, he lived in it.

9You have sent widows away empty,

And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10Therefore snares are round about you.

Sudden fear troubles you,

11Or darkness, so that you can not see,

And floods of waters cover you.

12“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven?

See the height of the stars, how high they are!

13You say, ‘What does God know?

Can he judge through the thick darkness?

14Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see.

He walks on the vault of the sky.’

15Will you keep the old way

Which wicked men have trodden,

16Who were snatched away before their time,

Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

17Who said to God, ‘Depart from us;’

And, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

18Yet he filled their houses with good things,

But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19The righteous see it, and are glad;

The innocent ridicule them,

20Saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off,

The fire has consumed the remnant of them.’

21“Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace.

Thereby good shall come to you.

22Please receive instruction from his mouth,

And lay up his words in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up,

If you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

24Lay your treasure in the dust,

The gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

25The Almighty will be your treasure,

Precious silver to you.

26For then shall you delight yourself in the Almighty,

And shall lift up your face to God.

27You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you.

You shall pay your vows.

28You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you.

Light shall shine on your ways.

29When they cast down, you shall say, ‘be lifted up.’

He will save the humble person.

30He will even deliver him who is not innocent;

Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Chapter 23

1Then Job answered,

2“Even today is my complaint rebellious.

His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.

3Oh that I knew where I might find him!

That I might come even to his seat!

4I would set my cause in order before him,

And fill my mouth with arguments.

5I would know the words which he would answer me,

And understand what he would tell me.

6Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

No, but he would listen to me.

7There the upright might reason with him,

So I should be delivered forever from my judge.

8“If I go east, he is not there;

If west, I can’t find him;

9He works to the north, but I can’t see him;

He turns south, but I can’t catch a glimpse of him.

10But he knows the way that I take.

When he has tried me, I shall come forth like gold.

11My foot has held fast to his steps.

His way have I kept, and not turned aside.

12I haven’t gone back from the commandment of his lips.

I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

13But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?

What his soul desires, even that he does.

14For he performs that which is appointed for me.

Many such things are with him.

15Therefore I am terrified at his presence.

When I consider, I am afraid of him.

16For God has made my heart faint.

The Almighty has terrified me.

17Because I was not cut off before the darkness,

Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

Chapter 24

1“Why aren’t times laid up by the Almighty?

Why don’t those who know him see his days?

2There are people who remove the landmarks.

They violently take away flocks, and feed them.

3They drive away the donkey of the fatherless,

And they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

4They turn the needy out of the way.

The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

5Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert,

They go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food;

The wilderness yields them bread for their children.

6They cut their provender in the field.

They glean the vineyard of the wicked.

7They lie all night naked without clothing,

And have no covering in the cold.

8They are wet with the showers of the mountains,

And embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.

9There are those who pluck the fatherless from the breast,

And take a pledge of the poor,

10So that they go around naked without clothing.

Being hungry, they carry the sheaves.

11They make oil within the walls of these men.

They tread wine presses, and suffer thirst.

12From out of the populous city, men groan.

The soul of the wounded cries out,

Yet God doesn’t regard the folly.

13“These are of those who rebel against the light;

They don’t know the ways of it,

Nor abide in the paths of it.

14The murderer rises with the light.

He kills the poor and needy.

In the night he is like a thief.

15The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight,

Saying, ‘No eye shall see me.’

He disguises his face.

16In the dark they dig through houses.

They shut themselves up in the daytime.

They don’t know the light.

17For the morning is to all of them like thick darkness,

For they know the terrors of the thick darkness.

18“They are foam on the surface of the waters.

Their portion is cursed in the earth:

They don’t turn into the way of the vineyards.

19Drought and heat consume the snow waters;

So does Sheol those who have sinned.

20The womb shall forget him.

The worm shall feed sweetly on him.

He shall be no more remembered.

Unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.

21He devours the barren who don’t bear.

He shows no kindness to the widow.

22Yet God preserves the mighty by his power.

He rises up who has no assurance of life.

23God gives them security, and they rest in it.

His eyes are on their ways.

24They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone.

Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others,

And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

25If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar,

And make my speech worth nothing?”

Chapter 25

1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

2“Dominion and fear are with him;

He makes peace in his high places.

3Can his armies be counted?

On whom does his light not arise?

4How then can man be just with God?

Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?

5Behold, even the moon has no brightness,

And the stars are not pure in his sight;

6How much less man, who is a worm!

The son of man, who is a worm!”

Chapter 26

1Then Job answered,

2“How have you helped him who is without power!

How have you saved the arm that has no strength!

3How have you counseled him who has no wisdom,

And plentifully declared sound knowledge!

4To whom have you uttered words?

Whose spirit came forth from you?

5“Those who are deceased tremble,

Those beneath the waters and all that live in them.

6Sheol4545Sheol is the lower world or the grave. is naked before God,

And Abaddon4646Abaddon means Destroyer. has no covering.

7He stretches out the north over empty space,

And hangs the earth on nothing.

8He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,

And the cloud is not burst under them.

9He encloses the face of his throne,

And spreads his cloud on it.

10He has described a boundary on the surface of the waters,

And to the confines of light and darkness.

11The pillars of heaven tremble

And are astonished at his rebuke.

12He stirs up the sea with his power,

And by his understanding he strikes through Rahab.

13By his Spirit the heavens are garnished.

His hand has pierced the swift serpent.

14Behold, 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?”

Chapter 27

1Job again took up his parable, and said,

2“As God lives, who has taken away my right,

The Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.

3(For the length of my life is still in me,

And the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

4Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness,

Neither shall my tongue utter deceit.

5Far be it from me that I should justify you.

Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

6I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go.

My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

7“Let my enemy be as the wicked,

Let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

8For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off,

When God takes away his life?

9Will God hear his cry,

When trouble comes on him?

10Will he delight himself in the Almighty,

And call on God at all times?

11I will teach you about the hand of God.

That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

12Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;

Why then have you become altogether vain?

13“This is the portion of a wicked man with God,

The heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.

14If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword.

His offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

15Those who remain of him shall be buried in death.

His widows shall make no lamentation.

16Though he heap up silver as the dust,

And prepare clothing as the clay;

17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on,

And the innocent shall divide the silver.

18He builds his house as the moth,

As a booth which the watchman makes.

19He lies down rich, but he shall not do so again.

He opens his eyes, and he is not.

20Terrors overtake him like waters;

A tempest steals him away in the night.

21The east wind carries him away, and he departs;

It sweeps him out of his place.

22For it hurls at him, and does not spare,

As he flees away from his hand.

23Men shall clap their hands at him,

And shall hiss him out of his place.

Chapter 28

1“Surely there is a mine for silver,

And a place for gold which they refine.

2Iron is taken out of the earth,

And copper is smelted out of the ore.

3Man sets an end to darkness,

And searches out, to the furthest bound,

The stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.

4He breaks open a shaft away from where people live.

They are forgotten by the foot.

They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.

5As for the earth, out of it comes bread;

Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

6Sapphires come from its rocks.

It has dust of gold.

7That path no bird of prey knows,

Neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.

8The proud animals have not trodden it,

Nor has the fierce lion passed by there.

9He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock,

And he overturns the mountains by the roots.

10He cuts out channels among the rocks.

His eye sees every precious thing.

11He binds the streams that they don’t trickle;

The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.

12“But where shall wisdom be found?

Where is the place of understanding?

13Man doesn’t know its price;

Neither is it found in the land of the living.

14The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’

The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’

15It can’t be gotten for gold,

Neither shall silver be weighed for its price.

16It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir,

With the precious onyx, or the sapphire4747or, lapis lazuli.

17Gold and glass can’t equal it,

Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal:

Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it,

Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

20Whence then comes wisdom?

Where is the place of understanding?

21Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living,

And kept close from the birds of the sky.

22Destruction and Death say,

‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

23“God understands its way,

And he knows its place.

24For he looks to the ends of the earth,

And sees under the whole sky.

25He establishes the force of the wind;

Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.

26When he made a decree for the rain,

And a way for the lightning of the thunder;

27Then did he see it, and declare it.

He established it, yes, and searched it out.

28To man he said,

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.

To depart from evil is understanding.’”

Chapter 29

1Job again took up his parable, and said,

2“Oh that I were as in the months of old,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3When his lamp shone on my head,

And by his light I walked through darkness;

4As I was in the ripeness of my days,

When the friendship of God was in my tent;

5When the Almighty was yet with me,

And my children were around me;

6When my steps were washed with butter,

And the rock poured out streams of oil for me!

7When I went forth to the city gate,

When I prepared my seat in the street,

8The young men saw me and hid themselves,

The aged rose up and stood;

9The princes refrained from talking,

And laid their hand on their mouth;

10The voice of the nobles was hushed,

And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me;

And when the eye saw me, it commended me:

12Because I delivered the poor who cried,

And the fatherless also, who had none to help him.

13The blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me,

And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14I put on righteousness, and it clothed me.

My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15I was eyes to the blind,

And feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the needy.

The cause of him who I didn’t know, I searched out.

17I broke the jaws of the unrighteous,

And plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18Then I said, ‘I shall die in my own house,

I shall number my days as the sand.

19My root is spread out to the waters,

The dew lies all night on my branch;

20My glory is fresh in me,

My bow is renewed in my hand.’

21“Men listened to me, waited,

And kept silence for my counsel.

22After my words they didn’t speak again;

My speech fell on them.

23They waited for me as for the rain.

Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.

24I smiled on them when they had no confidence.

They didn’t reject the light of my face.

25I chose out their way, and sat as chief.

I lived as a king in the army,

As one who comforts the mourners.

Chapter 30

1“But now those who are younger than I, have me in derision,

Whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.

2Of what use is the strength of their hands to me,

Men in whom ripe age has perished?

3They are gaunt from lack and famine.

They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.

4They pluck salt herbs by the bushes.

The roots of the broom are their food.

5They are driven forth from the midst of men;

They cry after them as after a thief;

6So that they dwell in frightful valleys,

And in holes of the earth and of the rocks.

7Among the bushes they bray;

And under the nettles they are gathered together.

8They are children of fools, yes, children of base men.

They were flogged out of the land.

9“Now I have become their song.

Yes, I am a byword to them.

10They abhor me, they stand aloof from me,

And don’t hesitate to spit in my face.

11For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me;

And they have thrown off restraint before me.

12On my right hand rise the rabble.

They thrust aside my feet,

They cast up against me their ways of destruction.

13They mar my path,

They set forward my calamity,

Without anyone’s help.

14As through a wide breach they come,

In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves in.

15Terrors are turned on me.

They chase my honor as the wind.

My welfare has passed away as a cloud.

16“Now my soul is poured out within me.

Days of affliction have taken hold on me.

17In the night season my bones are pierced in me,

And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.

18By great force is my garment disfigured.

It binds me about as the collar of my coat.

19He has cast me into the mire.

I have become like dust and ashes.

20I cry to you, and you do not answer me.

I stand up, and you gaze at me.

21You have turned to be cruel to me.

With the might of your hand you persecute me.

22You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it.

You dissolve me in the storm.

23For I know that you will bring me to death,

To the house appointed for all living.

24“However doesn’t one stretch out a hand in his fall?

Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?

25Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble?

Wasn’t my soul grieved for the needy?

26When I looked for good, then evil came;

When I waited for light, there came darkness.

27My heart is troubled, and doesn’t rest.

Days of affliction have come on me.

28I go mourning without the sun.

I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.

29I am a brother to jackals,

And a companion to ostriches.

30My skin grows black and peels from me.

My bones are burned with heat.

31Therefore is my harp turned to mourning,

And my pipe into the voice of those who weep.

Chapter 31

1“I made a covenant with my eyes,

How then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

2For what is the portion from God above,

And the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3Is it not calamity to the unrighteous,

And disaster to the workers of iniquity?

4Doesn’t he see my ways,

And number all my steps?

5“If I have walked with falsehood,

And my foot has hurried to deceit

6(Let me be weighed in an even balance,

That God may know my integrity);

7If my step has turned out of the way,

If my heart walked after my eyes,

If any defilement has stuck to my hands,

8Then let me sow, and let another eat;

Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9“If my heart has been enticed to a woman,

And I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door;

10Then let my wife grind for another,

And let others sleep with her.

11For that would be a heinous crime;

Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

12For it is a fire that consumes to destruction,

And would root out all my increase.

13“If I have despised the cause of my male servant

Or of my female servant,

When they contended with me;

14What then shall I do when God rises up?

When he visits, what shall I answer him?

15Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him?

Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?

16“If I have withheld the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the fatherless has not eaten of it

18(No, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

Her have I guided from my mother’s womb);

19If I have seen any perish for want of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering;

20If his heart hasn’t blessed me,

If he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;

21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,

Because I saw my help in the gate:

22Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade,

And my arm be broken from the bone.

23For calamity from God is a terror to me,

By reason of his majesty I can do nothing.

24“If I have made gold my hope,

And have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,

And because my hand had gotten much;

26If I have seen the sun when it shined,

Or the moon moving in splendor,

27And my heart has been secretly enticed,

My hand threw a kiss from my mouth:

28This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;

For I should have denied the God who is above.

29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,

Or lifted up myself when evil found him;

30(Yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin

By asking his life with a curse);

31If the men of my tent have not said,

‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

32(The foreigner has not lodged in the street;

But I have opened my doors to the traveler);

33If like Adam I have covered my transgressions,

By hiding my iniquity in my heart,

34Because I feared the great multitude,

And the contempt of families terrified me,

So that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door„

35Oh that I had one to hear me!

(Behold, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me);

Let the accuser write my indictment!

36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;

And I would bind it to me as a crown.

37I would declare to him the number of my steps.

As a prince would I go near to him.

38If my land cries out against me,

And the furrows of it weep together;

39If I have eaten the fruits of it without money,

Or have caused the owners of it to lose their life:

40Let briars grow instead of wheat,

And stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Chapter 32

1So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than God. 3Also his wrath was kindled against his three friends, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were elder than he. 5When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled.

6Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered,

“I am young, and you are very old;

Therefore I held back, and didn’t dare show you my opinion.

7I said, ‘Days should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

8But there is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

9It is not the great who are wise,

Nor the aged who understand justice.

10Therefore I said, ‘Listen to me;

I also will show my opinion.’

11“Behold, I waited for your words,

And I listened for your reasoning,

While you searched out what to say.

12Yes, I gave you my full attention,

But there was no one who convinced Job,

Or who answered his words, among you.

13Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom,

God may refute him, not man:’

14For he has not directed his words against me;

Neither will I answer him with your speeches.

15“They are amazed. They answer no more.

They don’t have a word to say.

16Shall I wait, because they don’t speak,

Because they stand still, and answer no more?

17I also will answer my part,

And I also will show my opinion.

18For I am full of words.

The spirit within me constrains me.

19Behold, my breast is as wine which has no vent;

Like new wineskins it is ready to burst.

20I will speak, that I may be refreshed.

I will open my lips and answer.

21Please don’t let me respect any man’s person,

Neither will I give flattering titles to any man.

22For I don’t know how to give flattering titles;

Or else my Maker would soon take me away.

Chapter 33

1“However, Job, Please hear my speech,

And listen to all my words.

2See now, I have opened my mouth.

My tongue has spoken in my mouth.

3My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart;

That which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.

4The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5If you can, answer me;

Set your words in order before me, and stand forth.

6Behold, I am toward God even as you are:

I am also formed out of the clay.

7Behold, my terror shall not make you afraid,

Neither shall my pressure be heavy on you.

8“Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

I have heard the voice of your words, saying,

9‘I am clean, without disobedience.

I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:

10Behold, he finds occasions against me,

He counts me for his enemy:

11He puts my feet in the stocks,

He marks all my paths.’

12“Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just;

For God is greater than man.

13Why do you strive against him,

Because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?

14For God speaks once,

Yes twice, though man pays no attention.

15In a dream, in a vision of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

In slumbering on the bed;

16Then he opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction,

17That he may withdraw man from his purpose,

And hide pride from man.

18He keeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from perishing by the sword.

19He is chastened also with pain on his bed,

With continual strife in his bones;

20So that his life abhors bread,

And his soul dainty food.

21His flesh is so consumed away, that it can’t be seen;

His bones that were not seen stick out.

22Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,

And his life to the destroyers.

23“If there is beside him an angel,

An interpreter, one among a thousand,

To show to man what is right for him;

24Then God is gracious to him, and says,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,

I have found a ransom.’

25His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s;

He returns to the days of his youth.

26He prays to God, and he is favorable to him,

So that he sees his face with joy:

He restores to man his righteousness.

27He sings before men, and says,

‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,

And it didn’t profit me.

28He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit,

My life shall see the light.’

29“Behold, God works all these things,

Twice, yes three times, with a man,

30To bring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

31Mark well, Job, and listen to me:

Hold your peace, and I will speak.

32If you have anything to say, answer me:

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33If not, listen to me:

Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Chapter 34

1Moreover Elihu answered,

2“Hear my words, you wise men;

Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

3For the ear tries words,

As the palate tastes food.

4Let us choose for us that which is right.

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

5For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

God has taken away my right:

6Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar;

My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’

7What man is like Job,

Who drinks scorn like water,

8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walks with wicked men?

9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

That he should delight himself with God.’

10“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:

Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,

From the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

11For the work of a man he will render to him,

And cause every man to find according to his ways.

12Yes surely, God will not do wickedly,

Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

13Who gave him a charge over the earth?

Or who has appointed him over the whole world?

14If he set his heart on himself,

If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath;

15All flesh would perish together,

And man would turn again to dust.

16“If now you have understanding, hear this.

Listen to the voice of my words.

17Shall even one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?„

18Who says to a king, ‘Vile!’

Or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’

19Who doesn’t respect the persons of princes,

Nor regards the rich more than the poor;

For they all are the work of his hands.

20In a moment they die, even at midnight;

The people are shaken and pass away,

The mighty are taken away without hand.

21“For his eyes are on the ways of a man,

He sees all his goings.

22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom,

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23For he doesn’t need to consider a man further,

That he should go before God in judgment.

24He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out,

And sets others in their place.

25Therefore he takes knowledge of their works.

He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

26He strikes them as wicked men

In the open sight of others;

27Because they turned aside from following him,

And wouldn’t have regard in any of his ways:

28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,

He heard the cry of the afflicted.

29When he gives quietness, who then can condemn?

When he hides his face, who then can see him?

Alike whether to a nation, or to a man:

30That the godless man may not reign,

That there be no one to ensnare the people.

31“For has any said to God,

‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.

32Teach me that which I don’t see.

If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

33Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it?

For you must choose, and not I.

Therefore speak what you know.

34Men of understanding will tell me,

Yes, every wise man who hears me:

35‘Job speaks without knowledge,

His words are without wisdom.’

36I wish that Job were tried to the end,

Because of his answering like wicked men.

37For he adds rebellion to his sin.

He claps his hands among us,

And multiplies his words against God.”

Chapter 35

1Moreover Elihu answered,

2“Do you think this to be your right,

Or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’

3That you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you?

What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’

4I will answer you,

And your companions with you.

5Look to the heavens, and see.

See the skies, which are higher than you.

6If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him?

If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

7If you are righteous, what do you give him?

Or what does he receive from your hand?

8Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are;

And your righteousness may profit a son of man.

9“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;

They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

10But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,

Who gives songs in the night,

11Who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,

And makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’

12There they cry, but none gives answer,

Because of the pride of evil men.

13Surely God will not hear an empty cry,

Neither will the Almighty regard it.

14How much less when you say you don’t see him.

The cause is before him, and you wait for him!

15But now, because he has not visited in his anger,

Neither does he greatly regard arrogance.

16Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk,

And he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Chapter 36

1Elihu also continued, and said,

2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you;

For I still have something to say on God’s behalf.

3I will get my knowledge from afar,

And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

4For truly my words are not false.

One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone.

He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked,

But gives to the afflicted their right.

7He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous,

But with kings on the throne,

He sets them forever, and they are exalted.

8If they are bound in fetters,

And are taken in the cords of afflictions,

9Then he shows them their work,

And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.

10He also opens their ears to instruction,

And commands that they return from iniquity.

11If they listen and serve him,

They shall spend their days in prosperity,

And their years in pleasures.

12But if they don’t listen, they shall perish by the sword;

They shall die without knowledge.

13“But those who are godless in heart lay up anger.

They don’t cry for help when he binds them.

14They die in youth.

Their life perishes among the unclean.

15He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,

And opens their ear in oppression.

16Yes, he would have allured you out of distress,

Into a broad place, where there is no restriction.

That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.

17“But you are full of the judgment of the wicked.

Judgment and justice take hold of you.

18Don’t let riches entice you to wrath,

Neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.

19Would your wealth sustain you in distress,

Or all the might of your strength?

20Don’t desire the night,

When people are cut off in their place.

21Take heed, don’t regard iniquity;

For this you have chosen rather than affliction.

22Behold, God is exalted in his power.

Who is a teacher like him?

23Who has prescribed his way for him?

Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness?’

24“Remember that you magnify his work,

Whereof men have sung.

25All men have looked thereon.

Man sees it afar off.

26Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him.

The number of his years is unsearchable.

27For he draws up the drops of water,

Which distill in rain from his vapor,

28Which the skies pour down

And drop on man abundantly.

29Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds,

And the thunderings of his pavilion?

30Behold, he spreads his light around him.

He covers the bottom of the sea.

31For by these he judges the people.

He gives food in abundance.

32He covers his hands with the lightning,

And commands it to strike the mark.

33The noise of it tells about him,

And the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.

Chapter 37

1“Yes, at this my heart trembles,

And is moved out of its place.

2Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice,

The sound that goes out of his mouth.

3He sends it forth under the whole sky,

And his lightning to the ends of the earth.

4After it a voice roars.

He thunders with the voice of his majesty;

He doesn’t hold back anything when his voice is heard.

5God thunders marvelously with his voice.

He does great things, which we can’t comprehend.

6For he says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth;’

Likewise to the shower of rain,

And to the showers of his mighty rain.

7He seals up the hand of every man,

That all men whom he has made may know it.

8Then the animals take cover,

And remain in their dens.

9Out of its chamber comes the storm,

And cold out of the north.

10By the breath of God, ice is given,

And the breadth of the waters is frozen.

11Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture.

He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.

12It is turned round about by his guidance,

That they may do whatever he commands them

On the surface of the habitable world,

13Whether it is for correction, or for his land,

Or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.

14“Listen to this, Job:

Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

15Do you know how God controls them,

And causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?

16Do you know the workings of the clouds,

The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?

17You whose clothing is warm,

When the earth is still by reason of the south wind?

18Can you, with him, spread out the sky,

Which is strong as a cast metal mirror?

19Teach us what we shall tell him;

For we can’t make our case by reason of darkness.

20Shall it be told him that I would speak?

Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

21Now men don’t see the light which is bright in the skies,

But the wind passes, and clears them.

22Out of the north comes golden splendor;

With God is awesome majesty.

23We can’t reach the Almighty,

He is exalted in power;

In justice and great righteousness he will not oppress.

24Therefore men revere him.

He doesn’t regard any who are wise of heart.”

Chapter 38

1Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

2“Who is this who darkens counsel

By words without knowledge?

3Brace yourself like a man,

For I will question you, then you answer me!

4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Declare, if you have understanding.

5Who determined the measures of it, if you know?

Or who stretched the line on it?

6Whereupon were the foundations of it fastened?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

7When the morning stars sang together,

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8“Or who shut up the sea with doors,

When it broke forth from the womb,

9When I made clouds the garment of it,

And wrapped it in thick darkness,

10Marked out for it my bound,

Set bars and doors,

11And said, ‘Here you may come, but no further;

Here shall your proud waves be stayed?’

12“Have you commanded the morning in your days,

And caused the dawn to know its place;

13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,

And shake the wicked out of it?

14It is changed as clay under the seal,

And stands forth as a garment.

15From the wicked, their light is withheld,

The high arm is broken.

16“Have you entered into the springs of the sea?

Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?

17Have the gates of death been revealed to you?

Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

18Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth?

Declare, if you know it all.

19“What is the way to the dwelling of light?

As for darkness, where is the place of it,

20That you should take it to the bound of it,

That you should discern the paths to the house of it?

21Surely you know, for you were born then,

And the number of your days is great!

22Have you entered the treasuries of the snow,

Or have you seen the treasures of the hail,

23Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,

Against the day of battle and war?

24By what way is the lightning distributed,

Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

25Who has cut a channel for the flood water,

Or the path for the thunderstorm;

26To cause it to rain on a land where no man is;

On the wilderness, in which there is no man;

27To satisfy the waste and desolate ground,

To cause the tender grass to spring forth?

28Does the rain have a father?

Or who fathers the drops of dew?

29Out of whose womb came the ice?

The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?

30The waters become hard like stone,

When the surface of the deep is frozen.

31“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,

Or loosen the cords of Orion?

32Can you lead forth the constellations in their season?

Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

33Do you know the laws of the heavens?

Can you establish the dominion of it over the earth?

34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

That abundance of waters may cover you?

35Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go?

Do they report to you, ‘Here we are?’

36Who has put wisdom in the inward parts?

Or who has given understanding to the mind?

37Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,

38When the dust runs into a mass,

And the clods of earth stick together?

39“Can you hunt the prey for the lioness,

Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

40When they crouch in their dens,

And lie in wait in the thicket?

41Who provides for the raven his prey,

When his young ones cry to God,

And wander for lack of food?

Chapter 39

1“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth?

Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?

2Can you number the months that they fulfill?

Or do you know the time when they give birth?

3They bow themselves, they bring forth their young,

They end their labor pains.

4Their young ones become strong.

They grow up in the open field.

They go forth, and don’t return again.

5“Who has set the wild donkey free?

Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey,

6Whose home I have made the wilderness,

And the salt land his dwelling place?

7He scorns the tumult of the city,

Neither hears he the shouting of the driver.

8The range of the mountains is his pasture,

He searches after every green thing.

9“Will the wild ox be content to serve you?

Or will he stay by your feeding trough?

10Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness?

Or will he till the valleys after you?

11Will you trust him, because his strength is great?

Or will you leave to him your labor?

12Will you confide in him, that he will bring home your seed,

And gather the grain of your threshing floor?

13“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly;

But are they the feathers and plumage of love?

14For she leaves her eggs on the earth,

Warms them in the dust,

15And forgets that the foot may crush them,

Or that the wild animal may trample them.

16She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers.

Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,

17Because God has deprived her of wisdom,

Neither has he imparted to her understanding.

18When she lifts up herself on high,

She scorns the horse and his rider.

19“Have you given the horse might?

Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?

20Have you made him to leap as a locust?

The glory of his snorting is awesome.

21He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength:

He goes out to meet the armed men.

22He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed;

Neither does he turn back from the sword.

23The quiver rattles against him,

The flashing spear and the javelin.

24He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage,

Neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

25As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’

He smells the battle afar off,

The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars,

And stretches her wings toward the south?

27Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up,

And makes his nest on high?

28On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home,

On the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.

29From there he spies out the prey.

His eyes see it afar off.

30His young ones also suck up blood.

Where the slain are, there he is.”

Chapter 40

1Moreover Yahweh answered Job,

2“Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty?

He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

3Then Job answered Yahweh,

4“Behold, I am of small account. What shall I answer you?

I lay my hand on my mouth.

5I have spoken once, and I will not answer;

Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

6Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

7“Now brace yourself like a man.

I will question you, and you will answer me.

8Will you even annul my judgment?

Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?

9Or have you an arm like God?

Can you thunder with a voice like him?

10“Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity.

Array yourself with honor and majesty.

11Pour forth the fury of your anger.

Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low.

12Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.

Crush the wicked in their place.

13Hide them in the dust together.

Bind their faces in the hidden place.

14Then I will also admit to you

That your own right hand can save you.

15“See now, behemoth, which I made as well as you.

He eats grass as an ox.

16Look now, his strength is in his thighs,

His force is in the muscles of his belly.

17He moves his tail like a cedar:

The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

18His bones are like tubes of brass.

His limbs are like bars of iron.

19He is the chief of the ways of God.

He who made him gives him his sword.

20Surely the mountains bring him forth food,

Where all the animals of the field do play.

21He lies under the lotus trees,

In the covert of the reed, and the marsh.

22The lotuses cover him with their shade.

The willows of the brook surround him.

23Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble.

He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.

24Shall any take him when he is on the watch,

Or pierce through his nose with a snare?

Chapter 41

1“Can you draw out Leviathan4848Leviathan is a name for a crocodile or similar creature. with a fishhook?

Or press down his tongue with a cord?

2Can you put a rope into his nose?

Or pierce his jaw through with a hook?

3Will he make many petitions to you?

Or will he speak soft words to you?

4Will he make a covenant with you,

That you should take him for a servant forever?

5Will you play with him as with a bird?

Or will you bind him for your girls?

6Will traders barter for him?

Will they part him among the merchants?

7Can you fill his skin with barbed irons,

Or his head with fish spears?

8Lay your hand on him.

Remember the battle, and do so no more.

9Behold, the hope of him is in vain.

Will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10None is so fierce that he dare stir him up.

Who then is he who can stand before me?

11Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?

Everything under the heavens is mine.

12“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs,

Nor his mighty strength, nor his goodly frame.

13Who can strip off his outer garment?

Who shall come within his jaws?

14Who can open the doors of his face?

Around his teeth is terror.

15Strong scales are his pride,

Shut up together with a close seal.

16One is so near to another,

That no air can come between them.

17They are joined one to another;

They stick together, so that they can’t be pulled apart.

18His sneezing flashes forth light,

His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19Out of his mouth go burning torches,

Sparks of fire leap forth.

20Out of his nostrils a smoke goes,

As of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.

21His breath kindles coals.

A flame goes forth from his mouth.

22In his neck there is strength.

Terror dances before him.

23The flakes of his flesh are joined together.

They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.

24His heart is as firm as a stone,

Yes, firm as the lower millstone.

25When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid.

They retreat before his thrashing.

26If one lay at him with the sword, it can’t avail;

Nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.

27He counts iron as straw;

And brass as rotten wood.

28The arrow can’t make him flee.

Sling stones are like chaff to him.

29Clubs are counted as stubble.

He laughs at the rushing of the javelin.

30His undersides are like sharp potsherds,

Leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.

31He makes the deep to boil like a pot.

He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

32He makes a path to shine after him.

One would think the deep had white hair.

33On earth there is not his equal,

That is made without fear.

34He sees everything that is high:

He is king over all the sons of pride.”

Chapter 42

1Then Job answered Yahweh,

2“I know that you can do all things,

And that no purpose of yours can be restrained.

3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I have uttered that which I did not understand,

Things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know.

4You said, ‘Listen, now, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you will answer me.’

5I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

But now my eye sees you.

6Therefore I abhor myself,

And repent in dust and ashes.”

7It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has. 8Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”

9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.

10Yahweh turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money,4949Literally, kesitah, a unit of money, probably silver and everyone a ring of gold.

12So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. 13He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch. 15In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, to four generations. 17So Job died, being old and full of days.

The Psalms

BOOK I

Chapter 1

1Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the way of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers;

2But his delight is in Yahweh’s law;

On his law he meditates day and night.

3He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also does not wither.

Whatever he does shall prosper.

4The wicked are not so,

But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment,

Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the wicked shall perish.

Chapter 2

1Why do the nations rage,

And the peoples plot a vain thing?

2The kings of the earth take a stand,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against Yahweh, and against his anointed,5050The word “anointed” is the same as the word for “Messiah” or “Christ” saying,

3“Let’s break their bonds apart,

And cast away their cords from us.”

4He who sits in the heavens will laugh.

The Lord will have them in derision.

5Then he will speak to them in his anger,

And terrify them in his wrath:

6“Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion.”

7I will tell of the decree.

Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.

Today I have become your father.

8Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,

The uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

9You shall break them with a rod of iron.

You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10Now therefore be wise, you kings.

Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

11Serve Yahweh with fear,

And rejoice with trembling.

12Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

For his wrath will soon be kindled.

Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

Chapter 3

A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

1Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are those who rise up against me.

2Many there are who say of my soul,

“There is no help for him in God.”

Selah.

3But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me,

My glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

4I cry to Yahweh with my voice,

And he answers me out of his holy hill.

Selah.

5I laid myself down and slept.

I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me.

6I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people

Who have set themselves against me on every side.

7Arise, Yahweh!

Save me, my God!

For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone.

You have broken the teeth of the wicked.

8Salvation belongs to Yahweh.

Your blessing be on your people.

Selah.

Chapter 4

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm by David.

1Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness.

Give me relief from my distress.

Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

2You sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor?

Will you love vanity, and seek after falsehood?

Selah.

3But know that Yahweh has set apart for himself him who is godly:

Yahweh will hear when I call to him.

4Stand in awe, and don’t sin.

Search your own heart on your bed, and be still.

Selah.

5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.

Put your trust in Yahweh.

6Many say, “Who will show us any good?”

Yahweh, let the light of your face shine on us.

7You have put gladness in my heart,

More than when their grain and their new wine are increased.

8In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep,

For you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety.

Chapter 5

For the Chief Musician, with the flutes. A Psalm by David.

1Give ear to my words, Yahweh.

Consider my meditation.

2Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God;

For to you do I pray.

3Yahweh, in the morning you shall hear my voice.

In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly.

4For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness.

Evil can’t live with you.

5The arrogant shall not stand in your sight.

You hate all workers of iniquity.

6You will destroy those who speak lies.

Yahweh abhors the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.

7But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house:

I will bow toward your holy temple in reverence of you.

8Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies.

Make your way straight before my face.

9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth.

Their heart is destruction.

Their throat is an open tomb.

They flatter with their tongue.

10Hold them guilty, God.

Let them fall by their own counsels;

Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions,

For they have rebelled against you.

11But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice,

Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them.

Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.

12For you will bless the righteous.

Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.

Chapter 6

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments, upon the eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your anger,

Neither discipline me in your wrath.

2Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint.

Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

3My soul is also in great anguish.

But you, Yahweh„how long?

4Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul,

And save me for your loving kindness’ sake.

5For in death there is no memory of you.

In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?

6I am weary with my groaning;

Every night I flood my bed;

I drench my couch with my tears.

7My eye wastes away because of grief;

It grows old because of all my adversaries.

8Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity,

For Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.

9Yahweh has heard my supplication.

Yahweh accepts my prayer.

10May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed.

They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.

Chapter 7

A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite.

1Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in you.

Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

2Lest they tear apart my soul like a lion,

Ripping it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

3Yahweh, my God, if I have done this,

If there is iniquity in my hands,

4If I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me

(Yes, I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary),

5Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it;

Yes, let him tread my life down to the earth,

And lay my glory in the dust.

Selah.

6Arise, Yahweh, in your anger.

Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries.

Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.

7Let the congregation of the peoples surround you.

Rule over them on high.

8Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples.

Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness,

And to my integrity that is in me.

9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,

But establish the righteous;

Their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.

10My shield is with God,

Who saves the upright in heart.

11God is a righteous judge,

Yes, a God who has indignation every day.

12If a man doesn’t relent, he will sharpen his sword;

He has bent and strung his bow.

13He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death.

He makes ready his flaming arrows.

14Behold, he travails with iniquity;

Yes, he has conceived mischief,

And brought forth falsehood.

15He has dug a hole,

And has fallen into the pit which he made.

16The trouble he causes shall return to his own head.

His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.

17I will give thanks to Yahweh according to his righteousness,

And will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.

Chapter 8

For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,

Who has set your glory above the heavens!

2From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,

Because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.

3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which you have ordained;

4What is man, that you think of him?

The son of man, that you care for him?

5For you have made him a little lower than God,5151Hebrew: Elohim

And crowned him with glory and honor.

6You make him ruler over the works of your hands.

You have put all things under his feet:

7All sheep and oxen,

Yes, and the animals of the field,

8The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea,

And whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9Yahweh, our Lord,

How majestic is your name in all the earth!

Chapter 9

For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm by David.

1I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart.

I will tell of all your marvelous works.

2I will be glad and rejoice in you.

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3When my enemies turn back,

They stumble and perish in your presence.

4For you have maintained my just cause.

You sit on the throne judging righteously.

5You have rebuked the nations.

You have destroyed the wicked.

You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

6The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin.

The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished.

7But Yahweh reigns forever.

He has prepared his throne for judgment.

8He will judge the world in righteousness.

He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness.

9Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed;

A high tower in times of trouble.

10Those who know your name will put their trust in you,

For you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion,

And declare among the people what he has done.

12For he who avenges blood remembers them.

He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted.

13Have mercy on me, Yahweh.

See my affliction by those who hate me,

And lift me up from the gates of death;

14That I may show forth all your praise.

In the gates of the daughter of Zion, I will rejoice in your salvation.

15The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made;

In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.

16Yahweh has made himself known.

He has executed judgment.

The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands.

Meditation. Selah.

17The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol,

Even all the nations that forget God.

18For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

Nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

19Arise, Yahweh! Don’t let man prevail.

Let the nations be judged in your sight.

20Put them in fear, Yahweh.

Let the nations know that they are only men.

Selah.

Chapter 10

1Why do you stand far off, Yahweh?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak;

They are caught in the schemes that they devise.

3For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings,

He blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh.

4The wicked, in the pride of his face,

Has no room in his thoughts for God.

5His ways are prosperous at all times;

He is haughty, and your laws are far from his sight:

As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.

6He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken;

For generations I shall have no trouble.”

7His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression.

Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

8He lies in wait near the villages.

From ambushes, he murders the innocent.

His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.

9He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush.

He lies in wait to catch the helpless.

He catches the helpless, when he draws him in his net.

10The helpless are crushed, they collapse,

They fall under his strength.

11He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.

He hides his face. He will never see it.”

12Arise, Yahweh!

God, lift up your hand!

Don’t forget the helpless.

13Why does the wicked person condemn God,

And say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?”

14But you do see trouble and grief;

You consider it to take it into your hand.

You help the victim and the fatherless.

15Break the arm of the wicked.

As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.

16Yahweh is King forever and ever!

The nations will perish out of his land.

17Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble.

You will prepare their heart.

You will cause your ear to hear,

18To judge the fatherless and the oppressed,

That man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

Chapter 11

For the Chief Musician. By David.

1In Yahweh, I take refuge.

How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!”

2For, behold, the wicked bend their bows.

They set their arrows on the strings,

That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

3If the foundations are destroyed,

What can the righteous do?

4Yahweh is in his holy temple.

Yahweh is on his throne in heaven.

His eyes observe.

His eyes examine the children of men.

5Yahweh examines the righteous,

But the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates.

6On the wicked he will rain blazing coals;

Fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

7For Yahweh is righteous.

He loves righteousness.

The upright shall see his face.

Chapter 12

For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David.

1Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases.

For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2Everyone lies to his neighbor.

They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

3May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips,

And the tongue that boasts,

4Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail.

Our lips are our own.

Who is lord over us?”

5“Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy,

I will now arise,” says Yahweh;

“I will set him in safety from those who malign him.”

6The words of Yahweh are flawless words,

As silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.

7You will keep them, Yahweh,

You will preserve them from this generation forever.

8The wicked walk on every side,

When what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.

Chapter 13

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

2How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

Having sorrow in my heart every day?

How long shall my enemy triumph over me?

3Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God.

Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;

4Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him;”

Lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall.

5But I trust in your loving kindness.

My heart rejoices in your salvation.

6I will sing to Yahweh,

Because he has been good to me.

Chapter 14

For the Chief Musician. By David.

1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt.

They have done abominable works.

There is none who does good.

2Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men,

To see if there were any who did understand,

Who did seek after God.

3They have all gone aside.

They have together become corrupt.

There is none who does good, no, not one.

4Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And don’t call on Yahweh?

5There they were in great fear,

For God is in the generation of the righteous.

6You frustrate the plan of the poor,

Because Yahweh is his refuge.

7Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people,

Then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Chapter 15

A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, who shall dwell in your sanctuary?

Who shall live on your holy hill?

2He who walks blamelessly does what is right,

And speaks truth in his heart;

3He who doesn’t slander with his tongue,

Nor does evil to his friend,

Nor casts slurs against his fellow man;

4In whose eyes a vile man is despised,

But who honors those who fear Yahweh;

He who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change;

5He 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.

Chapter 16

A Poem by David.

1Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.

2My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord.

Apart from you I have no good thing.”

3As for the saints who are in the earth,

They are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god.

Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,

Nor take their names on my lips.

5Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup.

You made my lot secure.

6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.

Yes, I have a good inheritance.

7I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel.

Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

8I have set Yahweh always before me.

Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices.

My body shall also dwell in safety.

10For you will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

11You will show me the path of life.

In your presence is fullness of joy.

In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Chapter 17

A Prayer by David.

1Hear, Yahweh, my righteous plea;

Give ear to my prayer, that doesn’t go out of deceitful lips.

2Let my sentence come forth from your presence;

Let your eyes look on equity.

3You have proved my heart; you have visited me in the night;

You have tried me, and found nothing;

I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.

4As for the works of men, by the word of your lips

I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.

5My steps have held fast to your paths,

My feet have not slipped.

6I have called on you, for you will answer me, God:

Turn your ear to me.

Hear my speech.

7Show your marvelous loving kindness,

You who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.

8Keep me as the apple of your eye;

Hide me under the shadow of your wings,

9From the wicked who oppress me,

My deadly enemies, who surround me.

10They close up their callous hearts.

With their mouth they speak proudly.

11They have now surrounded us in our steps.

They set their eyes to cast us down to the earth.

12He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey,

As it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13Arise, Yahweh,

Confront him, cast him down.

Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword;

14From men by your hand, Yahweh,

From men of the world, whose portion is in this life.

You fill the belly of your cherished ones.

Your sons have plenty,

And they store up wealth for their children.

15As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness;

I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.

Chapter 18

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

1I love you, Yahweh, my strength.

2Yahweh 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.

3I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised;

And I am saved from my enemies.

4The cords of death surrounded me.

The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

5The cords of Sheol were round about me;

The snares of death came on me.

6In my distress I called on Yahweh,

And cried to my God.

He heard my voice out of his temple,

My cry before him came into his ears.

7Then the earth shook and trembled.

The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken,

Because he was angry.

8Smoke went out of his nostrils.

Consuming fire came out of his mouth.

Coals were kindled by it.

9He bowed the heavens also, and came down.

Thick darkness was under his feet.

10He rode on a cherub, and flew.

Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.

11He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him,

Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

12At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

13Yahweh also thundered in the sky,

The Most High uttered his voice:

Hailstones and coals of fire.

14He sent out his arrows, and scattered them;

Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.

15Then the channels of waters appeared,

The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh,

At the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16He sent from on high.

He took me.

He drew me out of many waters.

17He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.

18They came on me in the day of my calamity,

But Yahweh was my support.

19He brought me forth also into a large place.

He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness.

According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.

21For I have kept the ways of Yahweh,

And have not wickedly departed from my God.

22For all his ordinances were before me.

I didn’t put away his statutes from me.

23I was also blameless with him.

I kept myself from my iniquity.

24Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

According to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.

With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.

26With the pure, you will show yourself pure.

With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

27For you will save the afflicted people,

But the haughty eyes you will bring down.

28For you will light my lamp, Yahweh.

My God will light up my darkness.

29For by you, I advance through a troop.

By my God, I leap over a wall.

30As for God, his way is perfect.

The word of Yahweh is tried.

He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

31For who is God, except Yahweh?

Who is a rock, besides our God,

32The God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?

33He makes my feet like deer’s feet,

And sets me on my high places.

34He teaches my hands to war;

So that my arms bend a bow of bronze.

35You have also given me the shield of your salvation.

Your right hand sustains me.

Your gentleness has made me great.

36You have enlarged my steps under me,

My feet have not slipped.

37I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them.

Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.

38I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise.

They shall fall under my feet.

39For you have girded me with strength to the battle.

You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

40You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

That I might cut off those who hate me.

41They cried, but there was none to save;

Even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.

42Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind.

I cast them out as the mire of the streets.

43You 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.

44As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me.

The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.

45The foreigners shall fade away,

And shall come trembling out of their close places.

46Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock.

Exalted be the God of my salvation,

47Even the God who executes vengeance for me,

And subdues peoples under me.

48He rescues me from my enemies.

Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me.

You deliver me from the violent man.

49Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,

And will sing praises to your name.

50He gives great deliverance to his king,

And shows loving kindness to his anointed,

To David and to his seed, forevermore.

Chapter 19

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1The heavens declare the glory of God.

The expanse shows his handiwork.

2Day after day they pour forth speech,

And night after night they display knowledge.

3There is no speech nor language,

Where their voice is not heard.

4Their voice has gone out through all the earth,

Their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

Like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.

6His going forth is from the end of the heavens,

His circuit to its ends;

There is nothing hidden from its heat.

7Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul.

Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple.

8Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.

Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever.

Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.

10More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.

11Moreover by them is your servant warned.

In keeping them there is great reward.

12Who can discern his errors?

Forgive me from hidden errors.

13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.

Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I will be upright,

I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in your sight,

Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.

Chapter 20

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble.

May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high,

2Send you help from the sanctuary,

Grant you support from Zion,

3Remember all your offerings,

And accept your burnt sacrifice.

Selah.

4May He grant you your heart’s desire,

And fulfill all your counsel.

5We will triumph in your salvation.

In the name of our God we will set up our banners:

May Yahweh grant all your requests.

6Now I know that Yahweh saves his anointed.

He will answer him from his holy heaven,

With the saving strength of his right hand.

7Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,

But we trust the name of Yahweh our God.

8They are bowed down and fallen,

But we rise up, and stand upright.

9Save, Yahweh;

Let the King answer us when we call!

Chapter 21

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh!

How greatly he rejoices in your salvation!

2You have given him his heart’s desire,

And have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah.

3For you meet him with the blessings of goodness;

You set a crown of fine gold on his head.

4He asked life of you, you gave it to him,

Even length of days forever and ever.

5His glory is great in your salvation.

You lay honor and majesty on him.

6For you make him most blessed forever.

You make him glad with joy in your presence.

7For the king trusts in Yahweh.

Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved.

8Your hand will find out all of your enemies.

Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

9You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger.

Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath.

The fire shall devour them.

10You will destroy their descendants from the earth,

Their posterity from among the children of men.

11For they intended evil against you.

They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.

12For you will make them turn their back,

When you aim drawn bows at their face.

13Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength,

So we will sing and praise your power.

Chapter 22

For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David.

1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

2My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer;

In the night season, and am not silent.

3But you are holy,

You who inhabit the praises of Israel.

4Our fathers trusted in you.

They trusted, and you delivered them.

5They cried to you, and were delivered.

They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.

6But I am a worm, and no man;

A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

7All those who see me mock me.

They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

8“He trusts in Yahweh;

Let him deliver him;

Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”

9But you brought me out of the womb.

You made me trust at my mother’s breasts.

10I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb.

You are my God since my mother bore me.

11Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near.

For there is none to help.

12Many bulls have surrounded me.

Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

13They open their mouths wide against me,

Lions tearing prey and roaring.

14I am poured out like water.

All my bones are out of joint.

My heart is like wax;

It is melted within me.

15My strength is dried up like a potsherd.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You have brought me into the dust of death.

16For dogs have surrounded me.

A company of evil-doers have enclosed me.

They pierced my hands and my feet.

17I can count all of my bones.

They look and stare at me.

18They divide my garments among them.

They cast lots for my clothing.

19But don’t be far off, Yahweh.

You are my help: hurry to help me.

20Deliver my soul from the sword,

My precious life from the power of the dog.

21Save me from the lion’s mouth;

Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me.

22I will declare your name to my brothers.

In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.

23You who fear Yahweh, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him!

Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!

24For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,

Neither has he hidden his face from him;

But when he cried to him, he heard.

25Of you comes my praise in the great assembly.

I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

26The humble shall eat and be satisfied.

They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him.

Let your hearts live forever.

27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh.

All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.

28For the kingdom is Yahweh’s.

He is the ruler over the nations.

29All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship.

All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,

Even he who can’t keep his soul alive.

30Posterity shall serve him.

Future generations shall be told about the Lord.

31They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born,

For he has done it.

Chapter 23

A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh is my shepherd:

I shall lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3He restores my soul.

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil.

My cup runs over.

6Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.

Chapter 24

A Psalm by David.

1The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness;

The world, and those who dwell therein.

2For he has founded it on the seas,

And established it on the floods.

3Who may ascend to Yahweh’s hill?

Who may stand in his holy place?

4He who has clean hands and a pure heart;

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,

And has not sworn deceitfully.

5He shall receive a blessing from Yahweh,

Righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6This is the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek your face„even Jacob.

Selah.

7Lift up your heads, you gates;

Be lifted up, you everlasting doors:

The King of glory will come in.

8Who is the King of glory?

Yahweh strong and mighty,

Yahweh mighty in battle.

9Lift up your heads, you gates;

Yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors:

The King of glory will come in.

10Who is this King of glory?

Yahweh of Armies,

He is the King of glory.

Selah.

Chapter 25

By David.

1To you, Yahweh, do I lift up my soul.

2My God, I have trusted in you,

Don’t let me be shamed.

Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.

3Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed.

They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4Show me your ways, Yahweh.

Teach me your paths.

5Guide me in your truth, and teach me,

For you are the God of my salvation,

I wait for you all day long.

6Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness,

For they are from old times.

7Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions.

Remember me according to your loving kindness,

For your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.

8Good and upright is Yahweh,

Therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.

9He will guide the humble in justice.

He will teach the humble his way.

10All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth

To such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11For your name’s sake, Yahweh,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12What man is he who fears Yahweh?

He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.

13His soul shall dwell at ease.

His seed shall inherit the land.

14The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him.

He will show them his covenant.

15My eyes are ever on Yahweh,

For he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16Turn to me, and have mercy on me,

For I am desolate and afflicted.

17The troubles of my heart are enlarged.

Oh bring me out of my distresses.

18Consider my affliction and my travail.

Forgive all my sins.

19Consider my enemies, for they are many.

They hate me with cruel hatred.

20Oh keep my soul, and deliver me.

Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.

21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I wait for you.

22Redeem Israel, God,

Out all of his troubles.

Chapter 26

By David.

1Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity.

I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering.

2Examine me, Yahweh, and prove me.

Try my heart and my mind.

3For your loving kindness is before my eyes.

I have walked in your truth.

4I have not sat with deceitful men,

Neither will I go in with hypocrites.

5I hate the assembly of evil-doers,

And will not sit with the wicked.

6I will wash my hands in innocence,

So I will go about your altar, Yahweh;

7That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard,

And tell of all your wondrous works.

8Yahweh, I love the habitation of your house,

The place where your glory dwells.

9Don’t gather my soul with sinners,

Nor my life with bloodthirsty men;

10In whose hands is wickedness,

Their right hand is full of bribes.

11But as for me, I will walk in my integrity.

Redeem me, and be merciful to me.

12My foot stands in an even place.

In the congregations I will bless Yahweh.

Chapter 27

By David.

1Yahweh is my light and my salvation.

Whom shall I fear?

Yahweh is the strength of my life.

Of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evil-doers came at me to eat up my flesh,

Even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

3Though an army should encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear.

Though war should rise against me,

Even then I will be confident.

4One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after,

That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life,

To see Yahweh’s beauty,

And to inquire in his temple.

5For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion.

In the covert of his tent he will hide me.

He will lift me up on a rock.

6Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me.

I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent.

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh.

7Hear, Yahweh, when I cry with my voice.

Have mercy also on me, and answer me.

8When you said, “Seek my face,”

My heart said to you, “I will seek your face, Yahweh.”

9Don’t hide your face from me.

Don’t put your servant away in anger.

You have been my help.

Don’t abandon me,

Neither forsake me, God of my salvation.

10When my father and my mother forsake me,

Then Yahweh will take me up.

11Teach me your way, Yahweh.

Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies.

12Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,

For false witnesses have risen up against me,

Such as breathe out cruelty.

13I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.

14Wait for Yahweh.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage.

Yes, wait for Yahweh.

Chapter 28

By David.

1To you, Yahweh, I call.

My rock, don’t be deaf to me;

Lest, if you are silent to me,

I would become like those who go down into the pit.

2Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you,

When I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

3Don’t draw me away with the wicked,

With the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors,

But mischief is in their hearts.

4Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings.

Give them according to the operation of their hands.

Bring back on them what they deserve.

5Because they don’t regard the works of Yahweh,

Nor the operation of his hands,

He will break them down and not build them up.

6Blessed be Yahweh,

Because he has heard the voice of my petitions.

7Yahweh 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.

8Yahweh is their strength.

He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.

9Save your people,

And bless your inheritance.

Be their shepherd also,

And bear them up forever.

Chapter 29

A Psalm by David.

1Ascribe to Yahweh, you sons of the mighty,

Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.

2Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name.

Worship Yahweh in holy array.

3Yahweh’s voice is on the waters.

The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters.

4Yahweh’s voice is powerful.

Yahweh’s voice is full of majesty.

5The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars.

Yes, Yahweh breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6He makes them also to skip like a calf;

Lebanon and Sirion like a young, wild ox.

7Yahweh’s voice strikes with flashes of lightning.

8Yahweh’s voice shakes the wilderness.

Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9Yahweh’s voice makes the deer calve,

And strips the forests bare.

In his temple everything says, “Glory!”

10Yahweh sat enthroned at the Flood.

Yes, Yahweh sits as King forever.

11Yahweh will give strength to his people.

Yahweh will bless his people with peace.

Chapter 30

A Psalm. A Song for the Dedication of the Temple. By David.

1I will extol you, Yahweh, for you have raised me up,

And have not made my foes to rejoice over me.

2Yahweh my God, I cried to you,

And you have healed me.

3Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol.

You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4Sing praise to Yahweh, you saints of his.

Give thanks to his holy name.

5For his anger is but for a moment;

His favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may stay for the night,

But joy comes in the morning.

6As for me, I said in my prosperity,

“I shall never be moved.”

7You, Yahweh, when you favored me, made my mountain to stand strong.

But when you hid your face, I was troubled.

8I cried to you, Yahweh.

To Yahweh I made supplication:

9“What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit?

Shall the dust praise you?

Shall it declare your truth?

10Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me.

Yahweh, be my helper.”

11You have turned my mourning into dancing for me.

You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness,

12To the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent.

Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Chapter 31

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1In you, Yahweh, I take refuge.

Let me never be disappointed:

Deliver me in your righteousness.

2Bow down your ear to me.

Deliver me speedily.

Be to me a strong rock,

A house of defense to save me.

3For you are my rock and my fortress,

Therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

4Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me,

For you are my stronghold.

5Into your hand I commend my spirit.

You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.

6I hate those who regard lying vanities,

But I trust in Yahweh.

7I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness,

For you have seen my affliction.

You have known my soul in adversities.

8You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy.

You have set my feet in a large place.

9Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress.

My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

10For my life is spent with sorrow,

My years with sighing.

My strength fails because of my iniquity.

My bones are wasted away.

11Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors,

A fear to my acquaintances.

Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

12I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man.

I am like broken pottery.

13For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side,

While they conspire together against me,

They plot to take away my life.

14But I trust in you, Yahweh.

I said, “You are my God.”

15My times are in your hand.

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

16Make your face to shine on your servant.

Save me in your loving kindness.

17Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you.

Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.

18Let the lying lips be mute,

Which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

19Oh how great is your goodness,

Which you have laid up for those who fear you,

Which you have worked for those who take refuge in you,

Before the sons of men!

20In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man.

You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

21Praise be to Yahweh,

For he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.

22As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.”

Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.

23Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints!

Yahweh preserves the faithful,

And pays back him who deals proudly in full.

24Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

All you who hope in Yahweh.

Chapter 32

By David. A contemplative psalm.

1Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered.

2Blessed is the man to whom Yahweh doesn’t impute iniquity,

In whose spirit there is no deceit.

3When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

4For day and night your hand was heavy on me.

My strength was sapped in the heat of summer.

Selah.

5I acknowledged my sin to you.

I didn’t hide my iniquity.

I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh,

And you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Selah.

6For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found.

Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him.

7You are my hiding place.

You will preserve me from trouble.

You will surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah.

8I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go.

I will counsel you with my eye on you.

9Don’t be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding,

Who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you.

10Many sorrows shall be to the wicked,

But he who trusts in Yahweh, loving kindness shall surround him.

11Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous!

Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

Chapter 33

1Rejoice in Yahweh, you righteous!

Praise is fitting for the upright.

2Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre.

Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.

3Sing to him a new song.

Play skillfully with a shout of joy!

4For the word of Yahweh is right.

All his work is done in faithfulness.

5He loves righteousness and justice.

The earth is full of the loving kindness of Yahweh.

6By Yahweh’s word the heavens were made;

All their army by the breath of his mouth.

7He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap.

He lays up the deeps in storehouses.

8Let all the earth fear Yahweh.

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

9For he spoke, and it was done.

He commanded, and it stood firm.

10Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing.

He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.

11The counsel of Yahweh stands fast forever,

The thoughts of his heart to all generations.

12Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,

The people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.

13Yahweh looks from heaven.

He sees all the sons of men.

14From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,

15He who fashions all of their hearts;

And he considers all of their works.

16There is no king saved by the multitude of an army.

A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

17A horse is a vain thing for safety,

Neither does he deliver any by his great power.

18Behold, Yahweh’s eye is on those who fear him,

On those who hope in his loving kindness;

19To deliver their soul from death,

To keep them alive in famine.

20Our soul has waited for Yahweh.

He is our help and our shield.

21For our heart rejoices in him,

Because we have trusted in his holy name.

22Let your loving kindness be on us, Yahweh,

Since we have hoped in you.

Chapter 34

By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

1I will bless Yahweh at all times.

His praise will always be in my mouth.

2My soul shall boast in Yahweh.

The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

3Oh magnify Yahweh with me.

Let us exalt his name together.

4I sought Yahweh, and he answered me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

5They looked to him, and were radiant.

Their faces shall never be covered with shame.

6This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.

7The angel of Yahweh encamps round about those who fear him,

And delivers them.

8Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good.

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints,

For there is no lack with those who fear him.

10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger,

But those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.

11Come, you children, listen to me.

I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

12Who is someone who desires life,

And loves many days, that he may see good?

13Keep your tongue from evil,

And your lips from speaking lies.

14Depart from evil, and do good.

Seek peace, and pursue it.

15Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous.

His ears listen to their cry.

16Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil,

To cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears,

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

18Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart,

And saves those who have a crushed spirit.

19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

20He protects all of his bones.

Not one of them is broken.

21Evil shall kill the wicked.

Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

22Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants.

None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

Chapter 35

By David.

1Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me.

Fight against those who fight against me.

2Take hold of shield and buckler,

And stand up for my help.

3Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me.

Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”

4Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor.

Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

5Let them be as chaff before the wind,

Yahweh’s angel driving them on.

6Let their way be dark and slippery,

Yahweh’s angel pursuing them.

7For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me.

Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

8Let destruction come on him unawares.

Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.

Let him fall into that destruction.

9My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.

It shall rejoice in his salvation.

10All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, 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?”

11Unrighteous witnesses rise up.

They ask me about things that I don’t know about.

12They reward me evil for good,

To the bereaving of my soul.

13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.

I afflicted my soul with fasting.

My prayer returned into my own bosom.

14I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.

I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

15But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together.

The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it.

They tore at me, and didn’t cease.

16Like the profane mockers in feasts,

They gnashed their teeth at me.

17Lord, how long will you look on?

Rescue my soul from their destruction,

My precious life from the lions.

18I will give you thanks in the great assembly.

I will praise you among many people.

19Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;

Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

20For they don’t speak peace,

But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

21Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me.

They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”

22You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent.

Lord, don’t be far from me.

23Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God!

My Lord, contend for me!

24Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness;

Don’t let them gloat over me.

25Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!”

Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

26Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

27Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause.

Yes, let them say continually, “Yahweh be magnified,

Who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”

28My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

Chapter 36

For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh.

1An oracle is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked:

“There is no fear of God before his eyes.”

2For he flatters himself in his own eyes,

Too much to detect and hate his sin.

3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit.

He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4He plots iniquity on his bed.

He sets himself in a way that is not good;

He doesn’t abhor evil.

5Your loving kindness, Yahweh, is in the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.

Your judgments are like a great deep.

Yahweh, you preserve man and animal.

7How precious is your loving kindness, God!

The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.

8They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house.

You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures.

9For with you is the spring of life.

In your light shall we see light.

10Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you,

Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11Don’t let the foot of pride come against me.

Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12There the workers of iniquity are fallen.

They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise.

Chapter 37

By David.

1Don’t fret because of evil-doers,

Neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,

And wither like the green herb.

3Trust in Yahweh, and do good.

Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

4Also delight yourself in Yahweh,

And he will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to Yahweh.

Trust also in him, and he will do this:

6He will make your righteousness go forth as the light,

And your justice as the noon day sun.

7Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him.

Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.

Don’t fret, it leads only to evildoing.

9For evildoers shall be cut off,

But those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land.

10For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more.

Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.

11But the humble shall inherit the land,

And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12The wicked plots against the just,

And gnashes at him with his teeth.

13The Lord will laugh at him,

For he sees that his day is coming.

14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow,

To cast down the poor and needy,

To kill those who are upright in the way.

15Their sword shall enter into their own heart.

Their bows shall be broken.

16Better is a little that the righteous has,

Than the abundance of many wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

But Yahweh upholds the righteous.

18Yahweh knows the days of the perfect.

Their inheritance shall be forever.

19They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil.

In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20But the wicked shall perish.

The enemies of Yahweh shall be like the beauty of the fields.

They will vanish„

Vanish like smoke.

21The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back,

But the righteous give generously.

22For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land.

Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

23A man’s goings are established by Yahweh.

He delights in his way.

24Though he stumble, he shall not fall,

For Yahweh holds him up with his hand.

25I have been young, and now am old,

Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,

Nor his children begging for bread.

26All day long he deals graciously, and lends.

His seed is blessed.

27Depart from evil, and do good;

Live securely forever.

28For Yahweh loves justice,

And doesn’t forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever,

But the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29The righteous shall inherit the land,

And live in it forever.

30The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom.

His tongue speaks justice.

31The law of his God is in his heart.

None of his steps shall slide.

32The wicked watches the righteous,

And seeks to kill him.

33Yahweh will not leave him in his hand,

Nor condemn him when he is judged.

34Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way,

And he will exalt you to inherit the land.

When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

35I have seen the wicked in great power,

Spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

36But he passed away, and behold, he was not.

Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37Mark the perfect man, and see the upright,

For there is a future for the man of peace.

38As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together.

The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh.

He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

40Yahweh helps them, and rescues them.

He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,

Because they have taken refuge in him.

Chapter 38

A Psalm by David, for a memorial.

1Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your wrath,

Neither chasten me in your hot displeasure.

2For your arrows have pierced me,

Your hand presses hard on me.

3There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation,

Neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.

4For my iniquities have gone over my head.

As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5My wounds are loathsome and corrupt,

Because of my foolishness.

6I am pained and bowed down greatly.

I go mourning all day long.

7For my waist is filled with burning.

There is no soundness in my flesh.

8I am faint and severely bruised.

I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.

9Lord, all my desire is before you.

My groaning is not hidden from you.

10My heart throbs.

My strength fails me.

As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

11My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague.

My kinsmen stand far away.

12They also who seek after my life lay snares.

Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things,

And meditate deceits all day long.

13But I, as a deaf man, don’t hear.

I am as a mute man who doesn’t open his mouth.

14Yes, I am as a man who doesn’t hear,

In whose mouth are no reproofs.

15For in you, Yahweh, do I hope.

You will answer, Lord my God.

16For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me,

Or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.”

17For I am ready to fall.

My pain is continually before me.

18For I will declare my iniquity.

I will be sorry for my sin.

19But my enemies are vigorous and many.

Those who hate me without reason are numerous.

20They who also render evil for good are adversaries to me,

Because I follow what is good.

21Don’t forsake me, Yahweh.

My God, don’t be far from me.

22Hurry to help me,

Lord, my salvation.

Chapter 39

For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David.

1I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue.

I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”

2I was mute with silence.

I held my peace, even from good.

My sorrow was stirred.

3My heart was hot within me.

While I meditated, the fire burned:

I spoke with my tongue:

4“Yahweh, show me my end,

What is the measure of my days.

Let me know how frail I am.

5Behold, you have made my days handbreadths.

My lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely every man stands as a breath.”

Selah.

6“Surely every man walks like a shadow.

Surely they busy themselves in vain.

He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

7Now, Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in you.

8Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

9I was mute.

I didn’t open my mouth,

Because you did it.

10Remove your scourge away from me.

I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity,

You consume his wealth like a moth.

Surely every man is but a breath.”

Selah.

12“Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry.

Don’t be silent at my tears.

For I am a stranger with you,

A foreigner, as all my fathers were.

13Oh spare me, that I may recover strength,

Before I go away, and be no more.”

Chapter 40

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1I waited patiently for Yahweh.

He turned to me, and heard my cry.

2He 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.

3He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God.

Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in Yahweh.

4Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust,

And doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done,

And your thoughts which are toward us.

They can’t be set in order to you;

If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire.

You have opened my ears:

Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

7Then I said, “Behold, I have come.

It is written about me in the book in the scroll.

8I delight to do your will, my God.

Yes, your law is within my heart.”

9I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly.

Behold, I will not seal my lips, Yahweh, you know.

10I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart.

I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation.

I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

11Don’t withhold your tender mercies from me, Yahweh.

Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.

12For innumerable evils have surrounded me.

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up.

They are more than the hairs of my head.

My heart has failed me.

13Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me.

Hurry to help me, Yahweh.

14Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it.

Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.

15Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”

16Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.

Let such as love your salvation say continually, “Let Yahweh be exalted!”

17But I am poor and needy;

May the Lord think about me.

You are my help and my deliverer.

Don’t delay, my God.

Chapter 41

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1Blessed is he who considers the poor:

Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.

2Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive,

He shall be blessed on the earth,

And he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.

3Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed,

And restore him from his bed of illness.

4I said, “Yahweh, have mercy on me!

Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

5My enemies speak evil against me:

“When will he die, and his name perish?”

6If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood.

His heart gathers iniquity to itself.

When he goes abroad, he tells it.

7All who hate me whisper together against me.

They imagine the worst for me.

8“An evil disease,” they say, “has afflicted him.

Now that he lies he shall rise up no more.”

9Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,

Who ate bread with me,

Has lifted up his heel against me.

10But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up,

That I may repay them.

11By this I know that you delight in me,

Because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me.

12As for me, you uphold me in my integrity,

And set me in your presence forever.

13Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,

From everlasting and to everlasting!

Amen and amen.

BOOK II

Chapter 42

For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by the sons of Korah.

1As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So my soul pants after you, God.

2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God?

3My tears have been my food day and night,

While they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

4These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me,

How I used to go with the crowd, and led them to the house of God,

With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.

5Why are you in despair, my soul?

Why are you disturbed within me?

Hope in God!

For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.

6My God, my soul is in despair within me.

Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan,

The heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.

7Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls.

All your waves and your billows have swept over me.

8Yahweh will command his loving kindness in the daytime.

In the night his song shall be with me:

A prayer to the God of my life.

9I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

10As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me,

While they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”

11Why are you in despair, my soul?

Why are you disturbed within me?

Hope in God! For I shall still praise him,

The saving help of my countenance, and my God.

Chapter 43

1Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.

Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

2For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me?

Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3Oh, send out your light and your truth.

Let them lead me.

Let them bring me to your holy hill,

To your tents.

4Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God, my exceeding joy.

I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.

5Why are you in despair, my soul?

Why are you disturbed within me?

Hope in God!

For I shall still praise him:

My Savior, my helper, and my God.

Chapter 44

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm.

1We have heard with our ears, God;

Our fathers have told us,

What work you did in their days,

In the days of old.

2You drove out the nations with your hand,

But you planted them.

You afflicted the peoples,

But you spread them abroad.

3For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword,

Neither did their own arm save them;

But your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face,

Because you were favorable to them.

4You are my King, God.

Command victories for Jacob!

5Through you, will we push down our adversaries.

Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us.

6For I will not trust in my bow,

Neither shall my sword save me.

7But you have saved us from our adversaries,

And have shamed those who hate us.

8In God we have made our boast all day long,

We will give thanks to your name forever.

Selah.

9But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor,

And don’t go out with our armies.

10You make us turn back from the adversary.

Those who hate us take spoil for themselves.

11You have made us like sheep for food,

And have scattered us among the nations.

12You sell your people for nothing,

And have gained nothing from their sale.

13You make us a reproach to our neighbors,

A scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.

14You make us a byword among the nations,

A shaking of the head among the peoples.

15All day long my dishonor is before me,

And shame covers my face,

16At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses,

Because of the enemy and the avenger.

17All this has come on us,

Yet have we not forgotten you,

Neither have we been false to your covenant.

18Our heart has not turned back,

Neither have our steps strayed from your path,

19Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals,

And covered us with the shadow of death.

20If we have forgotten the name of our God,

Or spread forth our hands to a strange god;

21Won’t God search this out?

For he knows the secrets of the heart.

22Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long.

We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.

23Wake up!

Why do you sleep, Lord?

Arise!

Don’t reject us forever.

24Why do you hide your face,

And forget our affliction and our oppression?

25For our soul is bowed down to the dust.

Our body cleaves to the earth.

26Rise up to help us.

Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

Chapter 45

For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” A contemplation by the sons of Korah. A wedding song.

1My heart overflows with a noble theme.

I recite my verses for the king.

My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.

2You are the most excellent of the sons of men.

Grace has anointed your lips,

Therefore God has blessed you forever.

3Gird your sword on your thigh, mighty one:

Your splendor and your majesty.

4In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness.

Let your right hand display awesome deeds.

5Your arrows are sharp.

The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies.

6Your throne, God, is forever and ever.

A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.

7You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

8All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia.

Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad.

9Kings’ daughters are among your honorable women.

At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir.

10Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear.

Forget your own people, and also your father’s house.

11So the king will desire your beauty,

Honor him, for he is your lord.

12The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift.

The rich among the people entreat your favor.

13The princess inside is all glorious.

Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

14She shall be led to the king in embroidered work.

The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.

15With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led.

They shall enter into the king’s palace.

16Your sons will take the place of your fathers.

You shall make them princes in all the earth.

17I will make your name to be remembered in all generations.

Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.

Chapter 46

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.5252Alamoth is a musical term.

1God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2Therefore we won’t be afraid, though the earth changes,

Though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;

3Though the waters of it roar and are troubled,

Though the mountains tremble with their swelling.

Selah.

4There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad,

The holy place of the tents of the Most High.

5God is in her midst. She shall not be moved.

God will help her at dawn.

6The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved.

He lifted his voice, and the earth melted.

7Yahweh of Armies is with us.

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah.

8Come, see Yahweh’s works,

What desolations he has made in the earth.

9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth.

He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.

He burns the chariots in the fire.

10“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations.

I will be exalted in the earth.”

11Yahweh of Armies is with us.

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah.

Chapter 47

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1Oh clap your hands, all you nations.

Shout to God with the voice of triumph!

2For Yahweh Most High is awesome.

He is a great King over all the earth.

3He subdues nations under us,

And peoples under our feet.

4He chooses our inheritance for us,

The glory of Jacob whom he loved.

Selah.

5God has gone up with a shout,

Yahweh with the sound of a trumpet.

6Sing praise to God, sing praises.

Sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7For God is the King of all the earth.

Sing praises with understanding.

8God reigns over the nations.

God sits on his holy throne.

9The princes of the peoples are gathered together,

The people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God.

He is greatly exalted!

Chapter 48

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised,

In the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

2Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,

Is Mount Zion, on the north sides,

The city of the great King.

3God has shown himself in her citadels as a refuge.

4For, behold, the kings assembled themselves,

They passed by together.

5They saw it, then they were amazed.

They were dismayed,

They hurried away.

6Trembling took hold of them there,

Pain, as of a woman in travail.

7With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish.

8As we have heard, so we have seen,

In the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God.

God will establish it forever.

Selah.

9We have thought about your loving kindness, God,

In the midst of your temple.

10As is your name, God,

So is your praise to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is full of righteousness.

11Let Mount Zion be glad!

Let the daughters of Judah rejoice,

Because of your judgments.

12Walk about Zion, and go around her.

Number its towers;

13Mark well her bulwarks.

Consider her palaces,

That you may tell it to the next generation.

14For this God is our God forever and ever.

He will be our guide even to death.

Chapter 49

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1Hear this, all you peoples.

Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

2Both low and high,

Rich and poor together.

3My mouth will speak words of wisdom.

My heart shall utter understanding.

4I will incline my ear to a proverb.

I will open my riddle on the harp.

5Why should I fear in the days of evil,

When iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6Those who trust in their wealth,

And boast in the multitude of their riches„

7None of them can by any means redeem his brother,

Nor give God a ransom for him.

8For the redemption of their life is costly,

No payment is ever enough,

9That he should live on forever,

That he should not see corruption.

10For he sees that wise men die;

Likewise the fool and the senseless perish,

And leave their wealth to others.

11Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,

And their dwelling places to all generations.

They name their lands after themselves.

12But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure.

He is like the animals that perish.

13This is the destiny of those who are foolish,

And of those who approve their sayings.

Selah.

14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.

Death shall be their shepherd.

The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.

Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,

Far from their mansion.

15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,

For he will receive me.

Selah.

16Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,

When the glory of his house is increased.

17For when he dies he shall carry nothing away.

His glory shall not descend after him.

18Though while he lived he blessed his soul„

And men praise you when you do well for yourself„

19He shall go to the generation of his fathers.

They shall never see the light.

20A man who has riches without understanding,

Is like the animals that perish.

Chapter 50

A Psalm by Asaph.

1The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks,

And calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.

2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

3Our God comes, and does not keep silent.

A fire devours before him.

It is very tempestuous around him.

4He calls to the heavens above,

To the earth, that he may judge his people:

5“Gather my saints together to me,

Those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6The heavens shall declare his righteousness,

For God himself is judge.

Selah.

7“Hear, my people, and I will speak;

Israel, and I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

8I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices.

Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9I have no need for a bull from your stall,

Nor male goats from your pens.

10For every animal of the forest is mine,

And the livestock on a thousand hills.

11I know all the birds of the mountains.

The wild animals of the field are mine.

12If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

For the world is mine, and all that is in it.

13Will I eat the flesh of bulls,

Or drink the blood of goats?

14Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Pay your vows to the Most High.

15Call on me in the day of trouble.

I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

16But to the wicked God says,

“What right do you have to declare my statutes,

That you have taken my covenant on your lips,

17Seeing you hate instruction,

And throw my words behind you?

18When you saw a thief, you consented with him,

And have participated with adulterers.

19“You give your mouth to evil.

Your tongue frames deceit.

20You sit and speak against your brother.

You slander your own mother’s son.

21You have done these things, and I kept silent.

You thought that the “I AM” was just like you.

I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.

22“Now consider this, you who forget God,

Lest I tear you into pieces, and there be none to deliver.

23Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,

And prepares his way so that I will show God’s salvation to him.”

Chapter 51

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.

According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.

Cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions.

My sin is constantly before me.

4Against you, and you only, have I sinned,

And done that which is evil in your sight;

That you may be proved right when you speak,

And justified when you judge.

5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity.

In sin my mother conceived me.

6Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.

You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean.

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8Let me hear joy and gladness,

That the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

9Hide your face from my sins,

And blot out all of my iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Renew a right spirit within me.

11Don’t throw me from your presence,

And don’t take your holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of your salvation.

Uphold me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors your ways.

Sinners shall be converted to you.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation.

My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

15Lord, open my lips.

My mouth shall declare your praise.

16For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it.

You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18Do well in your good pleasure to Zion.

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,

In burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.

Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

Chapter 52

For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Abimelech’s house.”

1Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man?

God’s loving kindness endures continually.

2Your tongue plots destruction,

Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

3You love evil more than good,

Lying rather than speaking the truth.

Selah.

4You love all devouring words,

You deceitful tongue.

5God will likewise destroy you forever.

He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent,

And root you out of the land of the living.

Selah.

6The righteous also will see it, and fear,

And laugh at him, saying,

7“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.”

8But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in God’s house.

I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.

9I will give you thanks forever, because you have done it.

I will hope in your name, for it is good,

In the presence of your saints.

Chapter 53

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Mahalath.” A contemplation by David.

1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity.

There is no one who does good.

2God looks down from heaven on the children of men,

To see if there are any who understood,

Who seek after God.

3Every one of them has gone back.

They have become filthy together.

There is no one who does good, no, not one.

4Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

Who eat up my people as they eat bread,

And don’t call on God?

5There they were in great fear, where no fear was,

For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you.

You have put them to shame,

Because God has rejected them.

6Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When God brings back his people from captivity,

Then Jacob shall rejoice,

And Israel shall be glad.

Chapter 54

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself among us?”

1Save me, God, by your name.

Vindicate me in your might.

2Hear my prayer, God.

Listen to the words of my mouth.

3For strangers have risen up against me.

Violent men have sought after my soul.

They haven’t set God before them.

Selah.

4Behold, God is my helper.

The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

5He will repay the evil to my enemies.

Destroy them in your truth.

6With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you.

I will give thanks to your name, Yahweh, for it is good.

7For he has delivered me out of all trouble.

My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

Chapter 55

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David.

1Listen to my prayer, God.

Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.

2Attend to me, and answer me.

I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

3Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the oppression of the wicked.

For they bring suffering on me.

In anger they hold a grudge against me.

4My heart is severely pained within me.

The terrors of death have fallen on me.

5Fearfulness and trembling have come on me.

Horror has overwhelmed me.

6I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove!

Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

7Behold, then I would wander far off.

I would lodge in the wilderness.”

Selah.

8“I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.”

9Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10Day and night they prowl around on its walls.

Malice and abuse are also within her.

11Destructive forces are within her.

Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.

12For it was not an enemy who insulted me,

Then I could have endured it.

Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me,

Then I would have hid myself from him.

13But it was you, a man like me,

My companion, and my familiar friend.

14We took sweet fellowship together.

We walked in God’s house with company.

15Let death come suddenly on them.

Let them go down alive into Sheol.

For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

16As for me, I will call on God.

Yahweh will save me.

17Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress.

He will hear my voice.

18He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,

Although there are many who oppose me.

19God, who is enthroned forever,

Will hear, and answer them.

Selah.

They never change,

Who don’t fear God.

20He raises his hands against his friends.

He has violated his covenant.

21His mouth was smooth as butter,

But his heart was war.

His words were softer than oil,

Yet they were drawn swords.

22Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you.

He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

23But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction.

Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days,

But I will trust in you.

Chapter 56

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.

All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

2My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,

For they are many who fight proudly against me.

3When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

4In God, I praise his word.

In God, I put my trust.

I will not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5All day long they twist my words.

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6They conspire and lurk,

Watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.

7Shall they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, God.

8You number my wanderings.

You put my tears into your bottle.

Aren’t they in your book?

9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.

I know this, that God is for me.

10In God, I will praise his word.

In Yahweh, I will praise his word.

11I have put my trust in God.

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12Your vows are on me, God.

I will give thank offerings to you.

13For you have delivered my soul from death,

And prevented my feet from falling,

That I may walk before God in the light of the living.

Chapter 57

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me,

For my soul takes refuge in you.

Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge,

Until disaster has passed.

2I cry out to God Most High,

To God who accomplishes my requests for me.

3He will send from heaven, and save me,

He rebukes the one who is pursuing me.

Selah.

God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

4My soul is among lions.

I lie among those who are set on fire,

Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows,

And their tongue a sharp sword.

5Be exalted, God, above the heavens!

Let your glory be above all the earth!

6They have prepared a net for my steps.

My soul is bowed down.

They dig a pit before me.

They fall into the midst of it themselves.

Selah.

7My heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast.

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.

8Wake up, my glory! Wake up, psaltery and harp!

I will wake up the dawn.

9I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples.

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

10For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens,

And your truth to the skies.

11Be exalted, God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.

Chapter 58

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David.

1Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones?

Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

2No, in your heart you plot injustice.

You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3The wicked go astray from the womb.

They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4Their poison is like the poison of a snake;

Like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

5Which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers,

No matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6Break their teeth, God, in their mouth.

Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

7Let them vanish as water that flows away.

When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

8Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away,

Like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns,

He will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance.

He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;

11So that men shall say, “Most assuredly there is a reward for the righteous.

Most assuredly there is a God who judges the earth.”

Chapter 59

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

1Deliver me from my enemies, my God.

Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.

Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

3For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.

The mighty gather themselves together against me,

Not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.

4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.

Rise up, behold, and help me!

5You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel,

Rouse yourself to punish the nations.

Show no mercy to the wicked traitors.

Selah.

6They return at evening, howling like dogs,

And prowl around the city.

7Behold, they spew with their mouth.

Swords are in their lips,

“For,” they say, “who hears us?”

8But you, Yahweh, laugh at them.

You scoff at all the nations.

9Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,

For God is my high tower.

10My God will go before me with his loving kindness.

God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

11Don’t kill them, or my people may forget.

Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

12For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,

Let them be caught in their pride,

For the curses and lies which they utter.

13Consume 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.

14At evening let them return.

Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

15They shall wander up and down for food,

And wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

16But 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.

17To you, my strength, I will sing praises.

For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

Chapter 60

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A teaching poem by David, when he fought with Aram Naharaim and with Aram Zobah, and Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

1God, you have rejected us.

You have broken us down.

You have been angry.

Restore us, again.

2You have made the land tremble.

You have torn it.

Mend its fractures,

For it quakes.

3You have shown your people hard things.

You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.

4You have given a banner to those who fear you,

That it may be displayed because of the truth.

Selah.

5So that your beloved may be delivered,

Save with your right hand, and answer us.

6God has spoken from his sanctuary:

“I will triumph.

I will divide Shechem,

And measure out the valley of Succoth.

7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.

Ephraim also is the defense of my head.

Judah is my scepter.

8Moab is my wash basin.

I will throw my shoe on Edom.

I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

9Who will bring me into the strong city?

Who has led me to Edom?

10Haven’t you, God, rejected us?

You don’t go out with our armies, God.

11Give us help against the adversary,

For the help of man is vain.

12Through God we shall do valiantly,

For it is he who will tread down our adversaries.

Chapter 61

For the Chief Musician. For a stringed instrument. By David.

1Hear my cry, God.

Listen to my prayer.

2From 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.

3For you have been a refuge for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

4I will dwell in your tent forever.

I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Selah.

5For you, God, have heard my vows.

You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6You will prolong the king’s life;

His years shall be for generations.

7He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever.

Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.

8So I will sing praise to your name forever,

That I may fulfill my vows daily.

Chapter 62

For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthan. A Psalm by David.

1My soul rests in God alone.

My salvation is from him.

2He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress„

I will never be greatly shaken.

3How long will you assault a man,

Would all of you throw him down,

Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

4They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place.

They delight in lies.

They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.

Selah.

5My soul, wait in silence for God alone,

For my expectation is from him.

6He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.

I will not be shaken.

7With God is my salvation and my honor.

The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

8Trust in him at all times, you people.

Pour out your heart before him.

God is a refuge for us.

Selah.

9Surely men of low degree are just a breath,

And men of high degree are a lie.

In the balances they will go up.

They are together lighter than a breath.

10Don’t trust in oppression.

Don’t become vain in robbery.

If riches increase,

Don’t set your heart on them.

11God has spoken once,

Twice I have heard this,

That power belongs to God.

12Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness,

For you reward every man according to his work.

Chapter 63

A Psalm by David, when he was in the desert of Judah.

1God, you are my God.

I will earnestly seek you.

My soul thirsts for you,

My flesh longs for you,

In a dry and weary land, where there is no water.

2So I have seen you in the sanctuary,

Watching your power and your glory.

3Because your loving kindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise you.

4So I will bless you while I live.

I will lift up my hands in your name.

5My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food.

My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,

6When I remember you on my bed,

And think about you in the night watches.

7For you have been my help.

I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.

8My soul stays close to you.

Your right hand holds me up.

9But those who seek my soul, to destroy it,

Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

10They shall be given over to the power of the sword.

They shall be jackal food.

11But the king shall rejoice in God.

Everyone who swears by him will praise him,

For the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.

Chapter 64

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1Hear my voice, God, in my complaint.

Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

2Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,

From the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;

3Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,

And aim their arrows, deadly words,

4To shoot innocent men from ambushes.

They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.

5They encourage themselves in evil plans.

They talk about laying snares secretly.

They say, “Who will see them?”

6They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!”

Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.

7But God will shoot at them.

They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.

8Their own tongues shall ruin them.

All who see them will shake their heads.

9All mankind shall be afraid.

They shall declare the work of God,

And shall wisely ponder what he has done.

10The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh,

And shall take refuge in him.

All the upright in heart shall praise him!

Chapter 65

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.

1Praise waits for you, God, in Zion.

To you shall vows be performed.

2You who hear prayer,

To you all men will come.

3Sins overwhelmed me,

But you atoned for our transgressions.

4Blessed is one whom you choose, and cause to come near,

That he may live in your courts.

We will be filled with the goodness of your house,

Your holy temple.

5By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us,

God of our salvation.

You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth,

Of those who are far away on the sea;

6Who by his power forms the mountains,

Having armed yourself with strength;

7Who stills the roaring of the seas,

The roaring of their waves,

And the turmoil of the nations.

8They also who dwell in far-away places are afraid at your wonders.

You call the morning’s dawn and the evening with songs of joy.

9You visit the earth, and water it.

You greatly enrich it.

The river of God is full of water.

You provide them grain, for so you have ordained it.

10You drench its furrows.

You level its ridges.

You soften it with showers.

You bless it with a crop.

11You crown the year with your bounty.

Your carts overflow with abundance.

12The wilderness grasslands overflow.

The hills are clothed with gladness.

13The pastures are covered with flocks.

The valleys also are clothed with grain.

They shout for joy!

They also sing.

Chapter 66

For the Chief Musician. A song. A Psalm.

1Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!

2Sing to the glory of his name!

Offer glory and praise!

3Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds!

Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you.

4All the earth will worship you,

And will sing to you;

They will sing to your name.”

Selah.

5Come, and see God’s deeds„

Awesome work on behalf of the children of men.

6He turned the sea into dry land.

They went through the river on foot.

There, we rejoiced in him.

7He rules by his might forever.

His eyes watch the nations.

Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him.

Selah.

8Praise our God, you peoples!

Make the sound of his praise heard,

9Who preserves our life among the living,

And doesn’t allow our feet to be moved.

10For you, God, have tested us.

You have refined us, as silver is refined.

11You brought us into prison.

You laid a burden on our backs.

12You allowed men to ride over our heads.

We went through fire and through water,

But you brought us to the place of abundance.

13I will come into your temple with burnt offerings.

I will pay my vows to you, 14which my lips promised,

And my mouth spoke, when I was in distress.

15I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals,

With the offering of rams,

I will offer bulls with goats.

Selah.

16Come, and hear, all you who fear God.

I will declare what he has done for my soul.

17I cried to him with my mouth.

He was extolled with my tongue.

18If I cherished sin in my heart,

The Lord wouldn’t have listened.

19But most assuredly, God has listened.

He has heard the voice of my prayer.

20Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer,

Nor his loving kindness from me.

Chapter 67

For the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song.

1May God be merciful to us, bless us,

And cause his face to shine on us.

Selah.

2That your way may be known on earth,

And your salvation among all nations,

3Let the peoples praise you, God.

Let all the peoples praise you.

4Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

For you will judge the peoples with equity,

And govern the nations on earth.

Selah.

5Let the peoples praise you, God.

Let all the peoples praise you.

6The earth has yielded its increase.

God, even our own God, will bless us.

7God will bless us.

All the ends of the earth shall fear him.

Chapter 68

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song.

1Let God arise!

Let his enemies be scattered!

Let them who hate him also flee before him.

2As smoke is driven away,

So drive them away.

As wax melts before the fire,

So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3But let the righteous be glad.

Let them rejoice before God.

Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

4Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!

Extol him who rides on the clouds:

To Yah, his name!

Rejoice before him!

5A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows,

Is God in his holy habitation.

6God sets the lonely in families.

He brings out the prisoners with singing,

But the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

7God, when you went forth before your people,

When you marched through the wilderness...

Selah.

8The 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.

9You, God, sent a plentiful rain.

You confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary.

10Your congregation lived therein.

You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor.

11The Lord announced the word.

The ones who proclaim it are a great company.

12“Kings of armies flee! They flee!”

She who waits at home divides the spoil,

13While you sleep among the campfires,

The wings of a dove sheathed with silver,

Her feathers with shining gold.

14When the Almighty scattered kings in her,

It snowed on Zalmon.

15The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains.

The mountains of Bashan are rugged.

16Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains,

At the mountain where God chooses to reign?

Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.

17The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands.

The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary.

18You have ascended on high.

You have led away captives.

You have received gifts among men,

Yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.

19Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens,

Even the God who is our salvation.

Selah.

20God is to us a God of deliverance.

To Yahweh, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

21But God will strike through the head of his enemies,

The hairy scalp of such a one as still continues in his guiltiness.

22The Lord said, “I will bring you again from Bashan,

I will bring you again from the depths of the sea;

23That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood,

That the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”

24They have seen your processions, God,

Even the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

25The singers went before, the minstrels followed after,

In the midst of the ladies playing with tambourines,

26“Bless God in the congregations,

Even the Lord in the assembly of Israel!”

27There is little Benjamin, their ruler,

The princes of Judah, their council,

The princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

28Your God has commanded your strength.

Strengthen, God, that which you have done for us.

29Because of your temple at Jerusalem,

Kings shall bring presents to you.

30Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds,

The multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples.

Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver.

Scatter the nations that delight in war.

31Princes shall come out of Egypt.

Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.

32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth!

Sing praises to the Lord!

Selah.

33To him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which are of old;

Behold, he utters his voice, a mighty voice.

34Ascribe strength to God!

His excellency is over Israel,

His strength is in the skies.

35You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries.

The God of Israel gives strength and power to his people.

Praise be to God!

Chapter 69

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David.

1Save me, God,

For the waters have come up to my neck!

2I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold.

I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

3I am weary with my crying.

My throat is dry.

My eyes fail, looking for my God.

4Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.

Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty.

I have to restore what I didn’t take away.

5God, you know my foolishness.

My sins aren’t hidden from you.

6Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord Yahweh of Armies.

Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.

7Because for your sake, I have borne reproach.

Shame has covered my face.

8I have become a stranger to my brothers,

An alien to my mother’s children.

9For the zeal of your house consumes me.

The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

10When I wept and I fasted,

That was to my reproach.

11When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.

12Those who sit in the gate talk about me.

I am the song of the drunkards.

13But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time.

God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.

14Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink.

Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.

15Don’t let the flood waters overwhelm me,

Neither let the deep swallow me up.

Don’t let the pit shut its mouth on me.

16Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good.

According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

17Don’t hide your face from your servant,

For I am in distress.

Answer me speedily!

18Draw near to my soul, and redeem it.

Ransom me because of my enemies.

19You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor.

My adversaries are all before you.

20Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness.

I looked for some to take pity, but there was none;

For comforters, but I found none.

21They also gave me gall for my food.

In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

22Let their table before them become a snare.

May it become a retribution and a trap.

23Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see.

Let their backs be continually bent.

24Pour out your indignation on them.

Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

25Let their habitation be desolate.

Let no one dwell in their tents.

26For they persecute him whom you have wounded.

They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

27Charge them with crime upon crime.

Don’t let them come into your righteousness.

28Let them be blotted out of the book of life,

And not be written with the righteous.

29But I am in pain and distress.

Let your salvation, God, protect me.

30I will praise the name of God with a song,

And will magnify him with thanksgiving.

31It will please Yahweh better than an ox,

Or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

32The humble have seen it, and are glad.

You who seek after God, let your heart live.

33For Yahweh hears the needy,

And doesn’t despise his captive people.

34Let heaven and earth praise him;

The seas, and everything that moves therein!

35For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah.

They shall settle there, and own it.

36The children also of his servants shall inherit it.

Those who love his name shall dwell therein.

Chapter 70

For the Chief Musician. By David. A reminder.

1Hurry, God, to deliver me.

Come quickly to help me, Yahweh.

2Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul.

Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

3Let them be turned because of their shame

Who say, “Aha! Aha!”

4Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.

Let those who love your salvation continually say,

“Let God be exalted!”

5But I am poor and needy.

Come to me quickly, God.

You are my help and my deliverer.

Yahweh, don’t delay.

Chapter 71

1In you, Yahweh, I take refuge.

Never let me be disappointed.

2Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me.

Turn your ear to me, and save me.

3Be 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.

4Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,

From the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh;

My confidence from my youth.

6I have relied on you from the womb.

You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb.

I will always praise you.

7I am a marvel to many,

But you are my strong refuge.

8My mouth shall be filled with your praise,

With your honor all the day.

9Don’t reject me in my old age.

Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.

10For my enemies talk about me.

Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

11Saying, “God has forsaken him.

Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him.”

12God, don’t be far from me.

My God, hurry to help me.

13Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed.

Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

14But I will always hope,

And will add to all of your praise.

15My mouth will tell about your righteousness,

And of your salvation all day,

Though I don’t know its full measure.

16I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh.

I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

17God, you have taught me from my youth.

Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

18Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me,

Until I have declared your strength to the next generation,

Your might to everyone who is to come.

19Your righteousness also, God, reaches to the heavens;

You have done great things.

God, who is like you?

20You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles,

You will let me live.

You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

21Increase my honor,

And comfort me again.

22I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God.

I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23My lips shall shout for joy!

My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

24My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long,

For they are disappointed, and they are confounded,

who want to harm me.

Chapter 72

By Solomon.

1God, give the king your justice;

Your righteousness to the royal son.

2He will judge your people with righteousness,

And your poor with justice.

3The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people.

The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.

4He will judge the poor of the people.

He will save the children of the needy,

And will break the oppressor in pieces.

5They shall fear you while the sun endures;

And as long as the moon, throughout all generations.

6He will come down like rain on the mown grass,

As showers that water the earth.

7In his days, the righteous shall flourish,

And abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,

From the River to the ends of the earth.

9Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him.

His enemies shall lick the dust.

10The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

11Yes, all kings shall fall down before him.

All nations shall serve him.

12For he will deliver the needy when he cries;

The poor, who has no helper.

13He will have pity on the poor and needy.

He will save the souls of the needy.

14He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence.

Their blood will be precious in his sight.

15They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba.

Men shall pray for him continually.

They shall bless him all day long.

16There shall be abundance of grain throughout the land.

Its fruit sways like Lebanon.

Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.

17His name endures forever.

His name continues as long as the sun.

Men shall be blessed by him.

All nations will call him blessed.

18Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel,

Who alone does marvelous deeds.

19Blessed be his glorious name forever!

Let the whole earth be filled with his glory!

Amen and amen.

20This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.

BOOK III

Chapter 73

A Psalm by Asaph.

1Surely God is good to Israel,

To those who are pure in heart.

2But as for me, my feet were almost gone.

My steps had nearly slipped.

3For I was envious of the arrogant,

When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4For there are no struggles in their death,

But their strength is firm.

5They are free from burdens of men,

Neither are they plagued like other men.

6Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck.

Violence covers them like a garment.

7Their eyes bulge with fat.

Their minds pass the limits of conceit.

8They scoff and speak with malice.

In arrogance, they threaten oppression.

9They have set their mouth in the heavens.

Their tongue walks through the earth.

10Therefore their people return to them,

And they drink up waters of abundance.

11They say, “How does God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12Behold, these are the wicked.

Being always at ease, they increase in riches.

13Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart,

And washed my hands in innocence,

14For all day long have I been plagued,

And punished every morning.

15If I had said, “I will speak thus;”

Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

16When I tried to understand this,

It was too painful for me;

17Until I entered God’s sanctuary,

And considered their latter end.

18Surely you set them in slippery places.

You throw them down to destruction.

19How they are suddenly destroyed!

They are completely swept away with terrors.

20As a dream when one wakes up,

So, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.

21For my soul was grieved.

I was embittered in my heart.

22I was so senseless and ignorant.

I was a brute beast before you.

23Nevertheless, I am continually with you.

You have held my right hand.

24You will guide me with your counsel,

And afterward receive me to glory.

25Who do I have in heaven?

There is no one on earth who I desire besides you.

26My flesh and my heart fails,

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish.

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.

28But it is good for me to come close to God.

I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge,

That I may tell of all your works.

Chapter 74

A contemplation by Asaph.

1God, why have you rejected us forever?

Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

2Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old,

Which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance;

Mount Zion, in which you have lived.

3Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins,

All the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

4Your adversaries have roared in the midst of your assembly.

They have set up their standards as signs.

5They behaved like men wielding axes,

Cutting through a thicket of trees.

6Now all its carved work

They break down with hatchet and hammers.

7They have burned your sanctuary to the ground.

They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.

8They said in their heart, “We will crush them completely.”

They have burned up all the places in the land where God was worshiped.

9We see no miraculous signs.

There is no longer any prophet,

Neither is there among us anyone who knows how long.

10How long, God, shall the adversary reproach?

Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

11Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand?

Take it out of your pocket and consume them!

12Yet God is my King of old,

Working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13You divided the sea by your strength.

You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.

14You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces.

You gave him as food to people and desert creatures.

15You opened up spring and stream.

You dried up mighty rivers.

16The day is yours, the night is also yours.

You have prepared the light and the sun.

17You have set all the boundaries of the earth.

You have made summer and winter.

18Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, Yahweh.

Foolish people have blasphemed your name.

19Don’t deliver the soul of your dove to wild beasts.

Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.

20Honor your covenant,

For haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.

21Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed.

Let the poor and needy praise your name.

22Arise, God! Plead your own cause.

Remember how the foolish man mocks you all day.

23Don’t forget the voice of your adversaries.

The tumult of those who rise up against you ascends continually.

Chapter 75

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm by Asaph. A song.

1We give thanks to you, God,

We give thanks, for your Name is near.

Men tell about your wondrous works.

2When I choose the appointed time,

I will judge blamelessly.

3The earth and all its inhabitants quake.

I firmly hold its pillars.

Selah.

4I said to the arrogant, “Don’t boast;”

To the wicked, “Don’t lift up the horn.

5Don’t lift up your horn on high.

Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”

6For neither from the east, nor from the west,

Nor yet from the south, comes exaltation.

7But God is the judge.

He puts down one, and lifts up another.

8For in the hand of Yahweh there is a cup,

Full of foaming wine mixed with spices.

He pours it out.

Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.

9But I will declare this forever:

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10I will cut off all the horns of the wicked,

But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

Chapter 76

For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm by Asaph. A song.

1In Judah, God is known.

His name is great in Israel.

2His tent is also in Salem;

His dwelling place in Zion.

3There he broke the flaming arrows of the bow,

The shield, and the sword, and the weapons of war.

Selah.

4Glorious are you, and excellent,

More than mountains of game.

5Valiant men lie plundered,

They have slept their last sleep.

None of the men of war can lift their hands.

6At your rebuke, God of Jacob,

Both chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep.

7You, even you, are to be feared.

Who can stand in your sight when you are angry?

8You pronounced judgment from heaven.

The earth feared, and was silent,

9When God arose to judgment,

To save all the afflicted ones of the earth.

Selah.

10Surely the wrath of man praises you.

The survivors of your wrath are restrained.

11Make vows to Yahweh your God, and fulfill them!

Let all of his neighbors bring presents to him who is to be feared.

12He will cut off the spirit of princes.

He is feared by the kings of the earth.

Chapter 77

For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph.

1My cry goes to God!

Indeed, I cry to God for help,

And for him to listen to me.

2In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord.

My hand was stretched out in the night, and didn’t get tired.

My soul refused to be comforted.

3I remember God, and I groan.

I complain, and my spirit is overwhelmed.

Selah.

4You hold my eyelids open.

I am so troubled that I can’t speak.

5I have considered the days of old,

The years of ancient times.

6I remember my song in the night.

I consider in my own heart;

My spirit diligently inquires:

7“Will the Lord reject us forever?

Will he be favorable no more?

8Has his loving kindness vanished forever?

Does his promise fail for generations?

9Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he, in anger, withheld his compassion?”

Selah.

10Then I thought, “I will appeal to this:

The years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11I will remember Yah’s deeds;

For I will remember your wonders of old.

12I will also meditate on all your work,

And consider your doings.

13Your way, God, is in the sanctuary.

What god is great like God?

14You are the God who does wonders.

You have made your strength known among the peoples.

15You have redeemed your people with your arm,

The sons of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah.

16The waters saw you, God.

The waters saw you, and they writhed.

The depths also convulsed.

17The clouds poured out water.

The skies resounded with thunder.

Your arrows also flashed around.

18The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind.

The lightnings lit up the world.

The earth trembled and shook.

19Your way was through the sea;

Your paths through the great waters.

Your footsteps were not known.

20You led your people like a flock,

By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Chapter 78

A contemplation by Asaph.

1Hear my law, my people.

Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth in a parable.

I will utter dark sayings of old,

3Which we have heard and known,

And our fathers have told us.

4We will not hide them from their children,

Telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh,

His strength, and his wondrous works that he has done.

5For he established a testimony in Jacob,

And appointed a law in Israel,

Which he commanded our fathers,

That they should make them known to their children;

6That the generation to come might know, even the children who should be born;

Who should arise and tell their children,

7That they might set their hope in God,

And not forget the works of God,

But keep his commandments,

8And might not be as their fathers,

A stubborn and rebellious generation,

A generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal,

Whose spirit was not steadfast with God.

9The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows,

Turned back in the day of battle.

10They didn’t keep God’s covenant,

And refused to walk in his law.

11They forgot his doings,

His wondrous works that he had shown them.

12He did marvelous things in the sight of their fathers,

In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13He split the sea, and caused them to pass through;

He made the waters stand as a heap.

14In the daytime he also led them with a cloud,

And all night with a light of fire.

15He split rocks in the wilderness,

And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.

16He brought streams also out of the rock,

And caused waters to run down like rivers.

17Yet they still went on to sin against him,

To rebel against the Most High in the desert.

18They tempted God in their heart

By asking food according to their desire.

19Yes, they spoke against God.

They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out,

Streams overflowed.

Can he give bread also?

Will he provide flesh for his people?”

21Therefore Yahweh heard, and was angry.

A fire was kindled against Jacob,

Anger also went up against Israel,

22Because they didn’t believe in God,

And didn’t trust in his salvation.

23Yet he commanded the skies above,

And opened the doors of heaven.

24He rained down manna on them to eat,

And gave them food from the sky.

25Man ate the bread of angels.

He sent them food to the full.

26He caused the east wind to blow in the sky.

By his power he guided the south wind.

27He rained also flesh on them as the dust;

Winged birds as the sand of the seas.

28He let them fall in the midst of their camp,

Around their habitations.

29So they ate, and were well filled.

He gave them their own desire.

30They didn’t turn from their cravings.

Their food was yet in their mouths,

31When the anger of God went up against them,

Killed some of the fattest of them,

And struck down the young men of Israel.

32For all this they still sinned,

And didn’t believe in his wondrous works.

33Therefore he consumed their days in vanity,

And their years in terror.

34When he killed them, then they inquired after him.

They returned and sought God earnestly.

35They remembered that God was their rock,

The Most High God their redeemer.

36But they flattered him with their mouth,

And lied to him with their tongue.

37For their heart was not right with him,

Neither were they faithful in his covenant.

38But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them.

Yes, many times he turned his anger away,

And didn’t stir up all his wrath.

39He remembered that they were but flesh,

A wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again.

40How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness,

And grieved him in the desert!

41They turned again and tempted God,

And provoked the Holy One of Israel.

42They didn’t remember his hand,

Nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary;

43How he set his signs in Egypt,

His wonders in the field of Zoan,

44Turned their rivers into blood,

And their streams, so that they could not drink.

45He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them;

And frogs, which destroyed them.

46He gave also their increase to the caterpillar,

And their labor to the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail,

Their sycamore fig trees with frost.

48He gave over their livestock also to the hail,

And their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49He threw on them the fierceness of his anger,

Wrath, indignation, and trouble,

And a band of angels of evil.

50He made a path for his anger.

He didn’t spare their soul from death,

But gave their life over to the pestilence,

51And struck all the firstborn in Egypt,

The chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52But he led forth his own people like sheep,

And guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53He led them safely, so that they weren’t afraid,

But the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54He brought them to the border of his sanctuary,

To this mountain, which his right hand had taken.

55He also drove out the nations before them,

Allotted them for an inheritance by line,

And made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God,

And didn’t keep his testimonies;

57But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers.

They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58For they provoked him to anger with their high places,

And moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.

59When God heard this, he was angry,

And greatly abhorred Israel;

60So that he forsook the tent of Shiloh,

The tent which he placed among men;

61And delivered his strength into captivity,

His glory into the adversary’s hand.

62He also gave his people over to the sword,

And was angry with his inheritance.

63Fire devoured their young men;

Their virgins had no wedding song.

64Their priests fell by the sword,

And their widows couldn’t weep.

65Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep,

Like a mighty man who shouts by reason of wine.

66He struck his adversaries backward.

He put them to a perpetual reproach.

67Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph,

And didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim,

68But chose the tribe of Judah,

Mount Zion which he loved.

69He built his sanctuary like the heights,

Like the earth which he has established forever.

70He also chose David his servant,

And took him from the sheepfolds;

71From following the ewes that have their young,

He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people,

And Israel, his inheritance.

72So he was their shepherd according to the integrity of his heart,

And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

Chapter 79

A Psalm by Asaph.

1God, the nations have come into your inheritance.

They have defiled your holy temple.

They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

2They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky,

The flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth.

3Their blood they have shed like water around Jerusalem.

There was no one to bury them.

4We have become a reproach to our neighbors,

A scoffing and derision to those who are around us.

5How long, Yahweh?

Will you be angry forever?

Will your jealousy burn like fire?

6Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you;

On the kingdoms that don’t call on your name;

7For they have devoured Jacob,

And destroyed his homeland.

8Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us.

Let your tender mercies speedily meet us,

For we are in desperate need.

9Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name.

Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.

10Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes,

That vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out.

11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you.

According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death;

12Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom

Their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord.

13So we, your people and sheep of your pasture,

Will give you thanks forever.

We will praise you forever, to all generations.

Chapter 80

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm by Asaph.

1Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,

You who lead Joseph like a flock,

You who sit above the cherubim, shine forth.

2Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might!

Come to save us!

3Turn us again, God.

Cause your face to shine,

And we will be saved.

4Yahweh God of Armies,

How long will you be angry against the prayer of your people?

5You have fed them with the bread of tears,

And given them tears to drink in large measure.

6You make us a source of contention to our neighbors.

Our enemies laugh among themselves.

7Turn us again, God of Armies.

Cause your face to shine,

And we will be saved.

8You brought a vine out of Egypt.

You drove out the nations, and planted it.

9You cleared the ground for it.

It took deep root, and filled the land.

10The mountains were covered with its shadow.

Its boughs were like God’s cedars.

11It sent out its branches to the sea,

Its shoots to the River.

12Why have you broken down its walls,

So that all those who pass by the way pluck it?

13The boar out of the wood ravages it.

The wild animals of the field feed on it.

14Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies.

Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,

15The stock which your right hand planted,

The branch that you made strong for yourself.

16It’s burned with fire.

It’s cut down.

They perish at your rebuke.

17Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,

On the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

18So we will not turn away from you.

Revive us, and we will call on your name.

19Turn us again, Yahweh God of Armies.

Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

Chapter 81

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. By Asaph.

1Sing aloud to God, our strength!

Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!

2Raise a song, and bring here the tambourine,

The pleasant lyre with the harp.

3Blow the trumpet at the New Moon,

At the full moon, on our feast day.

4For it is a statute for Israel,

An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony,

When he went out over the land of Egypt,

I heard a language that I didn’t know.

6“I removed his shoulder from the burden.

His hands were freed from the basket.

7You called in trouble, and I delivered you.

I answered you in the secret place of thunder.

I tested you at the waters of Meribah.”

Selah.

8“Hear, my people, and I will testify to you,

Israel, if you would listen to me!

9There shall be no strange god in you,

Neither shall you worship any foreign god.

10I am Yahweh, your God,

Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11But my people didn’t listen to my voice.

Israel desired none of me.

12So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts,

That they might walk in their own counsels.

13Oh that my people would listen to me,

That Israel would walk in my ways!

14I would soon subdue their enemies,

And turn my hand against their adversaries.

15The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him,

And their punishment would last forever.

16But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat.

I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”

Chapter 82

A Psalm by Asaph.

1God presides in the great assembly.

He judges among the gods.

2“How long will you judge unjustly,

And show partiality to the wicked?”

Selah.

3“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless.

Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

4Rescue the weak and needy.

Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

5They don’t know, neither do they understand.

They walk back and forth in darkness.

All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6I said, “You are gods,

All of you are sons of the Most High.

7Nevertheless you shall die like men,

And fall like one of the rulers.”

8Arise, God, judge the earth,

For you inherit all of the nations.

Chapter 83

A song. A Psalm by Asaph.

1God, don’t keep silent.

Don’t keep silent,

And don’t be still, God.

2For, behold, your enemies are stirred up.

Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.

3They conspire with cunning against your people.

They plot against your cherished ones.

4“Come,” they say, “and let’s destroy them as a nation,

That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5For they have conspired together with one mind.

They form an alliance against you.

6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;

Moab, and the Hagrites;

7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8Assyria also is joined with them.

They have helped the children of Lot.

Selah.

9Do to them as you did to Midian,

As to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon;

10Who perished at Endor,

Who became as dung for the earth.

11Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb;

Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna;

12Who said, “Let us take possession

Of God’s pasturelands.”

13My God, make them like tumbleweed;

Like chaff before the wind.

14As the fire that burns the forest,

As the flame that sets the mountains on fire,

15So pursue them with your tempest,

And terrify them with your storm.

16Fill their faces with confusion,

That they may seek your name, Yahweh.

17Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever.

Yes, let them be confounded and perish;

18That they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh,

Are the Most High over all the earth.

Chapter 84

For the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1How lovely are your dwellings,

Yahweh of Armies!

2My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of Yahweh.

My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

3Yes, the sparrow has found a home,

And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young,

Near your altars, Yahweh of Armies, my King, and my God.

4Blessed are those who dwell in your house.

They are always praising you.

Selah.

5Blessed are those whose strength is in you;

Who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.

6Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs.

Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.

7They go from strength to strength.

Everyone of them appears before God in Zion.

8Yahweh, God of Armies, hear my prayer.

Listen, God of Jacob.

Selah.

9Behold, God our shield,

Look at the face of your anointed.

10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,

Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield.

Yahweh will give grace and glory.

He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.

12Yahweh of Armies,

Blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Chapter 85

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

1Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land.

You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2You have forgiven the iniquity of your people.

You have covered all their sin.

Selah.

3You have taken away all your wrath.

You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

4Turn us, God of our salvation,

And cause your indignation toward us to cease.

5Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

6Won’t you revive us again,

That your people may rejoice in you?

7Show us your loving kindness, Yahweh.

Grant us your salvation.

8I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak,

For he will speak peace to his people, his saints;

But let them not turn again to folly.

9Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

That glory may dwell in our land.

10Mercy and truth meet together.

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11Truth springs out of the earth.

Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

12Yes, Yahweh will give that which is good.

Our land will yield its increase.

13Righteousness goes before him,

And prepares the way for his steps.

Chapter 86

A Prayer by David.

1Hear, Yahweh, and answer me,

For I am poor and needy.

2Preserve my soul, for I am godly.

You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

3Be merciful to me, Lord,

For I call to you all day long.

4Bring joy to the soul of your servant,

For to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive;

Abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

6Hear, Yahweh, my prayer.

Listen to the voice of my petitions.

7In the day of my trouble I will call on you,

For you will answer me.

8There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,

Nor any deeds like your deeds.

9All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.

They shall glorify your name.

10For you are great, and do wondrous things.

You are God alone.

11Teach me your way, Yahweh.

I will walk in your truth.

Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

12I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.

I will glorify your name forevermore.

13For your loving kindness is great toward me.

You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

14God, the proud have risen up against me.

A company of violent men have sought after my soul,

And they don’t hold regard for you before them.

15But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,

Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

16Turn to me, and have mercy on me!

Give your strength to your servant.

Save the son of your handmaid.

17Show me a sign of your goodness,

That those who hate me may see it, and be shamed,

Because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.

Chapter 87

A Psalm by the sons of Korah; a Song.

1His foundation is in the holy mountains.

2Yahweh loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

3Glorious things are spoken about you, city of God.

Selah.

4I will record Rahab5353Rahab is a reference to Egypt. and Babylon among those who acknowledge me.

Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia:

“This one was born there.”

5Yes, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one was born in her;”

The Most High himself will establish her.

6Yahweh will count, when he writes up the peoples,

“This one was born there.”

Selah.

7Those who sing as well as those who dance say,

“All my springs are in you.”

Chapter 88

A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite.

1Yahweh, the God of my salvation,

I have cried day and night before you.

2Let my prayer enter into your presence.

Turn your ear to my cry.

3For my soul is full of troubles.

My life draws near to Sheol.

4I am counted among those who go down into the pit.

I am like a man who has no help,

5Set apart among the dead,

Like the slain who lie in the grave,

Whom you remember no more.

They are cut off from your hand.

6You have laid me in the lowest pit,

In the darkest depths.

7Your wrath lies heavily on me.

You have afflicted me with all your waves.

Selah.

8You have taken my friends from me.

You have made me an abomination to them.

I am confined, and I can’t escape.

9My eyes are dim from grief.

I have called on you daily, Yahweh.

I have spread out my hands to you.

10Do you show wonders to the dead?

Do the dead rise up and praise you?

Selah.

11Is your loving kindness declared in the grave?

Or your faithfulness in Destruction?

12Are your wonders made known in the dark?

Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13But to you, Yahweh, I have cried.

In the morning, my prayer comes before you.

14Yahweh, why do you reject my soul?

Why do you hide your face from me?

15I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.

While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.

16Your fierce wrath has gone over me.

Your terrors have cut me off.

17They came around me like water all day long.

They completely engulfed me.

18You have put lover and friend far from me,

And my friends into darkness.

Chapter 89

A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.

1I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.

With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.

You established the heavens.

Your faithfulness is in them.”

3“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David, my servant,

4‘I will establish your seed forever,

And build up your throne to all generations.’”

Selah.

5The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh;

Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

6For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh?

Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,

7A very awesome God in the council of the holy ones,

To be feared above all those who are around him?

8Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you?

Yah, your faithfulness is around you.

9You rule the pride of the sea.

When its waves rise up, you calm them.

10You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain.

You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

11The heavens are yours.

The earth also is yours;

The world and its fullness.

You have founded them.

12The north and the south, you have created them.

Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

13You have a mighty arm.

Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.

14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.

Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

15Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you.

They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.

16In your name they rejoice all day.

In your righteousness, they are exalted.

17For you are the glory of their strength.

In your favor, our horn will be exalted.

18For our shield belongs to Yahweh;

Our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19Then you spoke in vision to your saints,

And said, “I have bestowed strength on the warrior.

I have exalted a young man from the people.

20I have found David, my servant.

I have anointed him with my holy oil,

21With whom my hand shall be established.

My arm will also strengthen him.

22No enemy will tax him.

No wicked man will oppress him.

23I will beat down his adversaries before him,

And strike those who hate him.

24But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him.

In my name, his horn will be exalted.

25I will set his hand also on the sea,

And his right hand on the rivers.

26He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,

My God, and the rock of my salvation!’

27I will also appoint him my firstborn,

The highest of the kings of the earth.

28I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore.

My covenant will stand firm with him.

29I will also make his seed endure forever,

And his throne as the days of heaven.

30If his children forsake my law,

And don’t walk in my ordinances;

31If they break my statutes,

And don’t keep my commandments;

32Then I will punish their sin with the rod,

And their iniquity with stripes.

33But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him,

Nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

34I will not break my covenant,

Nor alter what my lips have uttered.

35Once have I sworn by my holiness,

I will not lie to David.

36His seed will endure forever,

His throne like the sun before me.

37It will be established forever like the moon,

The faithful witness in the sky.”

Selah.

38But you have rejected and spurned.

You have been angry with your anointed.

39You have renounced the covenant of your servant.

You have defiled his crown in the dust.

40You have broken down all his hedges.

You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

41All who pass by the way rob him.

He has become a reproach to his neighbors.

42You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries.

You have made all of his enemies rejoice.

43Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword,

And haven’t supported him in battle.

44You have ended his splendor,

And thrown his throne down to the ground.

45You have shortened the days of his youth.

You have covered him with shame.

Selah.

46How long, Yahweh?

Will you hide yourself forever?

Will your wrath burn like fire?

47Remember how short my time is!

For what vanity have you created all the children of men!

48What man is he who shall live and not see death,

Who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

Selah.

49Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses,

Which you swore to David in your faithfulness?

50Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants,

How I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,

51With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh,

With which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

52Blessed be Yahweh forevermore.

Amen, and Amen.

BOOK IV

Chapter 90

A Prayer by Moses, the man of God.

1Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations.

2Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

3You turn man to destruction, saying,

“Return, you children of men.”

4For a thousand years in your sight

Are but as yesterday when it is past,

As a watch in the night.

5You sweep them away as they sleep.

In the morning they sprout like new grass.

6In the morning it sprouts and springs up.

By evening, it is withered and dry.

7For we are consumed in your anger.

We are troubled in your wrath.

8You have set our iniquities before you,

Our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9For all our days have passed away in your wrath.

We bring our years to an end as a sigh.

10The days of our years are seventy,

Or even by reason of strength eighty years;

Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow,

For it passes quickly, and we fly away.

11Who knows the power of your anger,

Your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?

12So teach us to number our days,

That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13Relent, Yahweh!

How long?

Have compassion on your servants!

14Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness,

That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

For as many years as we have seen evil.

16Let your work appear to your servants;

Your glory to their children.

17Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us;

Establish the work of our hands for us;

Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Chapter 91

1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2I will say of Yahweh, “He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in whom I trust.”

3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,

And from the deadly pestilence.

4He will cover you with his feathers.

Under his wings you will take refuge.

His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day;

6Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand at your right hand;

But it will not come near you.

8You will only look with your eyes,

And see the recompense of the wicked.

9Because you have made Yahweh your refuge,

And the Most High your dwelling place,

10No evil shall happen to you,

Neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

11For he will give his angels charge over you,

To guard you in all your ways.

12They will bear you up in their hands,

So that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.

13You will tread on the lion and cobra.

You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.

14“Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him.

I will set him on high, because he has known my name.

15He will call on me, and I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble.

I will deliver him, and honor him.

16I will satisfy him with long life,

And show him my salvation.”

Chapter 92

A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.

1It is a good thing to give thanks to Yahweh,

To sing praises to your name, Most High;

2To proclaim your loving kindness in the morning,

And your faithfulness every night,

3With the ten-stringed lute, with the harp,

And with the melody of the lyre.

4For you, Yahweh, have made me glad through your work.

I will triumph in the works of your hands.

5How great are your works, Yahweh!

Your thoughts are very deep.

6A senseless man doesn’t know,

Neither does a fool understand this:

7Though the wicked spring up as the grass,

And all the evil-doers flourish,

They will be destroyed forever.

8But you, Yahweh, are on high forevermore.

9For, behold, your enemies, Yahweh,

For, behold, your enemies shall perish.

All the evil-doers will be scattered.

10But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox.

I am anointed with fresh oil.

11My eye has also seen my enemies.

My ears have heard of the wicked enemies who rise up against me.

12The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree.

He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13They are planted in Yahweh’s house.

They will flourish in our God’s courts.

14They will still bring forth fruit in old age.

They will be full of sap and green,

15To show that Yahweh is upright.

He is my rock,

And there is no unrighteousness in him.

Chapter 93

1Yahweh reigns!

He is clothed with majesty!

Yahweh is armed with strength.

The world also is established.

It can’t be moved.

2Your throne is established from long ago.

You are from everlasting.

3The floods have lifted up, Yahweh,

The floods have lifted up their voice.

The floods lift up their waves.

4Above the voices of many waters,

The mighty breakers of the sea,

Yahweh on high is mighty.

5Your statutes stand firm.

Holiness adorns your house,

Yahweh, forevermore.

Chapter 94

1Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs,

You God to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth.

2Rise up, you judge of the earth.

Pay back the proud what they deserve.

3Yahweh, how long will the wicked,

How long will the wicked triumph?

4They pour out arrogant words.

All the evil-doers boast.

5They break your people in pieces, Yahweh,

And afflict your heritage.

6They kill the widow and the alien,

And murder the fatherless.

7They say, “Yah will not see,

Neither will Jacob’s God consider.”

8Consider, you senseless among the people;

You fools, when will you be wise?

9He who implanted the ear, won’t he hear?

He who formed the eye, won’t he see?

10He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish?

He who teaches man knows.

11Yahweh knows the thoughts of man,

That they are futile.

12Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah,

And teach out of your law;

13That you may give him rest from the days of adversity,

Until the pit is dug for the wicked.

14For Yahweh won’t reject his people,

Neither will he forsake his inheritance.

15For judgment will return to righteousness.

All the upright in heart shall follow it.

16Who will rise up for me against the wicked?

Who will stand up for me against the evil-doers?

17Unless Yahweh had been my help,

My soul would have soon lived in silence.

18When I said, “My foot is slipping!”

Your loving kindness, Yahweh, held me up.

19In the multitude of my thoughts within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.

20Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you,

Which brings about mischief by statute?

21They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous,

And condemn the innocent blood.

22But Yahweh has been my high tower,

My God, the rock of my refuge.

23He has brought on them their own iniquity,

And will cut them off in their own wickedness.

Yahweh, our God, will cut them off.

Chapter 95

1Oh come, let’s sing to Yahweh.

Let’s shout aloud to the rock of our salvation!

2Let’s come before his presence with thanksgiving.

Let’s extol him with songs!

3For Yahweh is a great God,

A great King above all gods.

4In his hand are the deep places of the earth.

The heights of the mountains are also his.

5The sea is his, and he made it.

His hands formed the dry land.

6Oh come, let’s worship and bow down.

Let’s kneel before Yahweh, our Maker,

7For he is our God.

We are the people of his pasture,

And the sheep in his care.

Today, oh that you would hear his voice!

8Don’t harden your heart, as at Meribah,

As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,

9When your fathers tempted me,

Tested me, and saw my work.

10Forty long years I was grieved with that generation,

And said, “It is a people that errs in their heart.

They have not known my ways.”

11Therefore I swore in my wrath,

“They won’t enter into my rest.”

Chapter 96

1Sing to Yahweh a new song!

Sing to Yahweh, all the earth.

2Sing to Yahweh!

Bless his name!

Proclaim his salvation from day to day!

3Declare his glory among the nations,

His marvelous works among all the peoples.

4For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised!

He is to be feared above all gods.

5For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But Yahweh made the heavens.

6Honor and majesty are before him.

Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of nations,

Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.

8Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name.

Bring an offering, and come into his courts.

9Worship Yahweh in holy array.

Tremble before him, all the earth.

10Say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.”

The world is also established.

It can’t be moved.

He will judge the peoples with equity.

11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.

Let the sea roar, and it’s fullness!

12Let the field and all that is in it exult!

Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy

13Before Yahweh; for he comes,

For he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

The peoples with his truth.

Chapter 97

1Yahweh reigns!

Let the earth rejoice!

Let the multitude of islands be glad!

2Clouds and darkness are around him.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3A fire goes before him,

And burns up his adversaries on every side.

4His lightning lights up the world.

The earth sees, and trembles.

5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of Yahweh,

At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6The heavens declare his righteousness.

All the peoples have seen his glory.

7Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images,

Who boast in their idols.

Worship him, all you gods!

8Zion heard and was glad.

The daughters of Judah rejoiced,

Because of your judgments, Yahweh.

9For you, Yahweh, are most high above all the earth.

You are exalted far above all gods.

10You who love Yahweh, hate evil.

He preserves the souls of his saints.

He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

11Light is sown for the righteous,

And gladness for the upright in heart.

12Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous people!

Give thanks to his holy Name.

Chapter 98

A Psalm.

1Sing to Yahweh a new song,

For he has done marvelous things!

His right hand, and his holy arm, have worked salvation for him.

2Yahweh has made known his salvation.

He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

3He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4Make a joyful noise to Yahweh, all the earth!

Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

5Sing praises to Yahweh with the harp,

With the harp and the voice of melody.

6With trumpets and sound of the ram’s horn,

Make a joyful noise before the King, Yahweh.

7Let the sea roar with its fullness;

The world, and those who dwell therein.

8Let the rivers clap their hands.

Let the mountains sing for joy together.

9Let them sing before Yahweh,

For he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

And the peoples with equity.

Chapter 99

1Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble.

He sits enthroned among the cherubim.

Let the earth be moved.

2Yahweh is great in Zion.

He is high above all the peoples.

3Let them praise your great and awesome name.

He is Holy!

4The King’s strength also loves justice.

You do establish equity.

You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.

5Exalt Yahweh our God.

Worship at his footstool.

He is Holy!

6Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel among those who call on his name;

They called on Yahweh, and he answered them.

7He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.

They kept his testimonies,

The statute that he gave them.

8You answered them, Yahweh our God.

You are a God who forgave them,

Although you took vengeance for their doings.

9Exalt Yahweh, our God.

Worship at his holy hill,

For Yahweh, our God, is holy!

Chapter 100

A Psalm of thanksgiving.

1Shout for joy to Yahweh, all you lands!

2Serve Yahweh with gladness.

Come before his presence with singing.

3Know that Yahweh, he is God.

It is he who has made us, and we are his.

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

Into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, and bless his name.

5For Yahweh is good.

His loving kindness endures forever,

His faithfulness to all generations.

Chapter 101

A Psalm by David.

1I will sing of loving kindness and justice.

To you, Yahweh, I will sing praises.

2I will be careful to live a blameless life.

When will you come to me?

I will walk within my house with a blameless heart.

3I will set no vile thing before my eyes.

I hate the deeds of faithless men.

They will not cling to me.

4A perverse heart will be far from me.

I will have nothing to do with evil.

5I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor.

I won’t tolerate one who is haughty and conceited.

6My eyes will be on the faithful of the land,

That they may dwell with me.

He who walks in a perfect way,

He will serve me.

7He who practices deceit won’t dwell within my house.

He who speaks falsehood won’t be established before my eyes.

8Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land;

To cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh’s city.

Chapter 102

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh.

1Hear my prayer, Yahweh!

Let my cry come to you.

2Don’t hide your face from me in the day of my distress.

Turn your ear to me.

Answer me quickly in the day when I call.

3For my days consume away like smoke.

My bones are burned as a firebrand.

4My heart is blighted like grass, and withered,

For I forget to eat my bread.

5By reason of the voice of my groaning,

My bones stick to my skin.

6I am like a pelican of the wilderness.

I have become as an owl of the waste places.

7I watch, and have become like a sparrow that is alone on the housetop.

8My enemies reproach me all day.

Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.

9For I have eaten ashes like bread,

And mixed my drink with tears,

10Because of your indignation and your wrath,

For you have taken me up, and thrown me away.

11My days are like a long shadow.

I have withered like grass.

12But you, Yahweh, will abide forever;

Your renown endures to all generations.

13You will arise and have mercy on Zion;

For it is time to have pity on her.

Yes, the set time has come.

14For your servants take pleasure in her stones,

And have pity on her dust.

15So the nations will fear the name of Yahweh;

All the kings of the earth your glory.

16For Yahweh has built up Zion.

He has appeared in his glory.

17He has responded to the prayer of the destitute,

And has not despised their prayer.

18This will be written for the generation to come.

A people which will be created will praise Yah.

19For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary.

From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth;

20To hear the groans of the prisoner;

To free those who are condemned to death;

21That men may declare the name of Yahweh in Zion,

And his praise in Jerusalem;

22When the peoples are gathered together,

The kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

23He weakened my strength along the course.

He shortened my days.

24I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the midst of my days.

Your years are throughout all generations.

25Of old, you laid the foundation of the earth.

The heavens are the work of your hands.

26They 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.

27But you are the same.

Your years will have no end.

28The children of your servants will continue.

Their seed will be established before you.”

Chapter 103

By David.

1Praise Yahweh, my soul!

All that is within me, praise his holy name!

2Praise Yahweh, my soul,

And don’t forget all his benefits;

3Who forgives all your sins;

Who heals all your diseases;

4Who redeems your life from destruction;

Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

5Who satisfies your desire with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6Yahweh executes righteous acts,

And justice for all who are oppressed.

7He made known his ways to Moses,

His deeds to the children of Israel.

8Yahweh is merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

9He will not always accuse;

Neither will he stay angry forever.

10He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor repaid us for our iniquities.

11For as the heavens are high above the earth,

So great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.

12As far as the east is from the west,

So far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13Like a father has compassion on his children,

So Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.

14For he knows how we are made.

He remembers that we are dust.

15As for man, his days are like grass.

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16For the wind passes over it, and it is gone.

Its place remembers it no more.

17But Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him,

His righteousness to children’s children;

18To those who keep his covenant,

To those who remember to obey his precepts.

19Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens.

His kingdom rules over all.

20Praise Yahweh, you angels of his,

Who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word,

Obeying the voice of his word.

21Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his,

You servants of his, who do his pleasure.

22Praise Yahweh, all you works of his,

In all places of his dominion.

Praise Yahweh, my soul.

Chapter 104

1Bless Yahweh, my soul.

Yahweh, my God, you are very great.

You are clothed with honor and majesty.

2He covers himself with light as with a garment.

He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.

3He lays the beams of his chambers in the waters.

He makes the clouds his chariot.

He walks on the wings of the wind.

4He makes his messengers5454or, angels winds;

His servants flames of fire.

5He laid the foundations of the earth,

That it should not be moved forever.

6You covered it with the deep as with a cloak.

The waters stood above the mountains.

7At your rebuke they fled.

At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.

8The mountains rose,

The valleys sank down,

To the place which you had assigned to them.

9You have set a boundary that they may not pass over;

That they don’t turn again to cover the earth.

10He sends forth springs into the valleys.

They run among the mountains.

11They give drink to every animal of the field.

The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12The birds of the sky nest by them.

They sing among the branches.

13He waters the mountains from his chambers.

The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.

14He causes the grass to grow for the livestock,

And plants for man to cultivate,

That he may bring forth food out of the earth:

15Wine that makes glad the heart of man,

Oil to make his face to shine,

And bread that strengthens man’s heart.

16Yahweh’s trees are well watered,

The cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted;

17Where the birds make their nests.

The stork makes its home in the fir trees.

18The high mountains are for the wild goats.

The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19He appointed the moon for seasons.

The sun knows when to set.

20You make darkness, and it is night,

In which all the animals of the forest prowl.

21The young lions roar after their prey,

And seek their food from God.

22The sun rises, and they steal away,

And lay down in their dens.

23Man goes forth to his work,

To his labor until the evening.

24Yahweh, how many are your works!

In wisdom have you made them all.

The earth is full of your riches.

25There is the sea, great and wide,

In which are innumerable living things,

Both small and large animals.

26There the ships go,

And leviathan, whom you formed to play there.

27These all wait for you,

That you may give them their food in due season.

28You give to them; they gather.

You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.

29You hide your face: they are troubled;

You take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust.

30You send forth your Spirit: they are created.

You renew the face of the ground.

31Let the glory of Yahweh endure forever.

Let Yahweh rejoice in his works.

32He looks at the earth, and it trembles.

He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live.

I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.

34Let your meditation be sweet to him.

I will rejoice in Yahweh.

35Let sinners be consumed out of the earth.

Let the wicked be no more.

Bless Yahweh, my soul.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 105

1Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name!

Make his doings known among the peoples.

2Sing to him, sing praises to him!

Tell of all his marvelous works.

3Glory in his holy name.

Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

4Seek Yahweh and his strength.

Seek his face forever more.

5Remember his marvelous works that he has done;

His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

6You seed of Abraham, his servant,

You children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

7He is Yahweh, our God.

His judgments are in all the earth.

8He has remembered his covenant forever,

The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

9The covenant which he made with Abraham,

His oath to Isaac,

10And confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute;

To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

11Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,

The lot of your inheritance;”

12When they were but a few men in number,

Yes, very few, and foreigners in it.

13They went about from nation to nation,

From one kingdom to another people.

14He allowed no one to do them wrong.

Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

15“Don’t touch my anointed ones!

Do my prophets no harm!”

16He called for a famine on the land.

He destroyed the food supplies.

17He sent a man before them.

Joseph was sold for a slave.

18They bruised his feet with shackles.

His neck was locked in irons,

19Until the time that his word happened,

And Yahweh’s word proved him true.

20The king sent and freed him;

Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free.

21He made him lord of his house,

And ruler of all of his possessions;

22To discipline his princes at his pleasure,

And to teach his elders wisdom.

23Israel also came into Egypt.

Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24He increased his people greatly,

And made them stronger than their adversaries.

25He turned their heart to hate his people,

To conspire against his servants.

26He sent Moses, his servant,

And Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27They performed miracles among them,

And wonders in the land of Ham.

28He sent darkness, and made it dark.

They didn’t rebel against his words.

29He turned their waters into blood,

And killed their fish.

30Their land swarmed with frogs,

Even in the chambers of their kings.

31He spoke, and swarms of flies came,

And lice in all their borders.

32He gave them hail for rain,

With lightning in their land.

33He struck their vines and also their fig trees,

And shattered the trees of their country.

34He spoke, and the locusts came,

And the grasshoppers, without number,

35Ate up every plant in their land;

And ate up the fruit of their ground.

36He struck also all the firstborn in their land,

The first fruits of all their manhood.

37He brought them forth with silver and gold.

There was not one feeble person among his tribes.

38Egypt was glad when they departed,

For the fear of them had fallen on them.

39He spread a cloud for a covering,

Fire to give light in the night.

40They asked, and he brought quails,

And satisfied them with the bread of the sky.

41He opened the rock, and waters gushed out.

They ran as a river in the dry places.

42For he remembered his holy word,

And Abraham, his servant.

43He brought forth his people with joy,

His chosen with singing.

44He gave them the lands of the nations.

They took the labor of the peoples in possession,

45That they might keep his statutes,

And observe his laws.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 106

1Praise Yahweh!

Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

For his loving kindness endures forever.

2Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh,

Or fully declare all his praise?

3Blessed are those who keep justice.

Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.

4Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people.

Visit me with your salvation,

5That I may see the prosperity of your chosen,

That I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,

That I may glory with your inheritance.

6We have sinned with our fathers.

We have committed iniquity.

We have done wickedly.

7Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt.

They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses,

But were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

8Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake,

That he might make his mighty power known.

9He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up;

So he led them through the depths, as through a desert.

10He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,

And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11The waters covered their adversaries.

There was not one of them left.

12Then they believed his words.

They sang his praise.

13They soon forgot his works.

They didn’t wait for his counsel,

14But gave in to craving in the desert,

And tested God in the wasteland.

15He gave them their request,

But sent leanness into their soul.

16They envied Moses also in the camp,

And Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.

17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,

And covered the company of Abiram.

18A fire was kindled in their company.

The flame burned up the wicked.

19They made a calf in Horeb,

And worshiped a molten image.

20Thus they exchanged their glory

For an image of a bull that eats grass.

21They forgot God, their Savior,

Who had done great things in Egypt,

22Wondrous works in the land of Ham,

And awesome things by the Red Sea.

23Therefore he said that he would destroy them,

Had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach,

To turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.

24Yes, they despised the pleasant land.

They didn’t believe his word,

25But murmured in their tents,

And didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.

26Therefore he swore to them

That he would overthrow them in the wilderness,

27That he would overthrow their seed among the nations,

And scatter them in the lands.

28They joined themselves also to Baal Peor,

And ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds.

The plague broke in on them.

30Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment,

So the plague was stopped.

31That was credited to him for righteousness,

For all generations to come.

32They angered him also at the waters of Meribah,

So that Moses was troubled for their sakes;

33Because they were rebellious against his spirit,

He spoke rashly with his lips.

34They didn’t destroy the peoples,

As Yahweh commanded them,

35But mixed themselves with the nations,

And learned their works.

36They served their idols,

Which became a snare to them.

37Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

38They shed innocent blood,

Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,

Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.

The land was polluted with blood.

39Thus were they defiled with their works,

And prostituted themselves in their deeds.

40Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people.

He abhorred his inheritance.

41He gave them into the hand of the nations.

Those who hated them ruled over them.

42Their enemies also oppressed them.

They were brought into subjection under their hand.

43Many times he delivered them,

But they were rebellious in their counsel,

And were brought low in their iniquity.

44Nevertheless he regarded their distress,

When he heard their cry.

45He remembered for them his covenant,

And repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

46He made them also to be pitied

By all those who carried them captive.

47Save us, Yahweh, our God,

Gather us from among the nations,

To give thanks to your holy name,

To triumph in your praise!

48Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,

From everlasting even to everlasting!

Let all the people say, “Amen.”

Praise Yah!

BOOK V

Chapter 107

1Give thanks to Yahweh,

For he is good,

For his loving kindness endures forever.

2Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so,

Whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

3And gathered out of the lands,

From the east and from the west,

From the north and from the south.

4They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way.

They found no city to live in.

5Hungry and thirsty,

Their soul fainted in them.

6Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble,

And he delivered them out of their distresses,

7He led them also by a straight way,

That they might go to a city to live in.

8Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,

For his wonderful works to the children of men!

9For he satisfies the longing soul.

He fills the hungry soul with good.

10Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,

Being bound in affliction and iron,

11Because they rebelled against the words of God,

And condemned the counsel of the Most High.

12Therefore he brought down their heart with labor.

They fell down, and there was none to help.

13Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble,

And he saved them out of their distresses.

14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,

And broke their bonds in sunder.

15Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,

For his wonderful works to the children of men!

16For he has broken the gates of brass,

And cut through bars of iron.

17Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience,

And because of their iniquities.

18Their soul abhors all kinds of food.

They draw near to the gates of death.

19Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble,

He saves them out of their distresses.

20He sends his word, and heals them,

And delivers them from their graves.

21Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,

For his wonderful works to the children of men!

22Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,

And declare his works with singing.

23Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business in great waters;

24These see Yahweh’s works,

And his wonders in the deep.

25For he commands, and raises the stormy wind,

Which lifts up its waves.

26They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths.

Their soul melts away because of trouble.

27They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man,

And are at their wits’ end.

28Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble,

And he brings them out of their distress.

29He makes the storm a calm,

So that its waves are still.

30Then they are glad because it is calm,

So he brings them to their desired haven.

31Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,

For his wonderful works for the children of men!

32Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,

And praise him in the seat of the elders.

33He turns rivers into a desert,

Water springs into a thirsty ground,

34And a fruitful land into a salt waste,

For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

35He turns a desert into a pool of water,

And a dry land into water springs.

36There he makes the hungry live,

That they may prepare a city to live in,

37Sow fields, plant vineyards,

And reap the fruits of increase.

38He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly.

He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.

39Again, they are diminished and bowed down

Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

40He pours contempt on princes,

And causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

41Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction,

And increases their families like a flock.

42The upright will see it, and be glad.

All the wicked will shut their mouths.

43Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things.

They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.

Chapter 108

A Song. A Psalm by David.

1My heart is steadfast, God.

I will sing and I will make music with my soul.

2Wake up, harp and lyre!

I will wake up the dawn.

3I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations.

I will sing praises to you among the peoples.

4For your loving kindness is great above the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

5Be exalted, God, above the heavens,

Let your glory be over all the earth.

6That your beloved may be delivered,

Save with your right hand, and answer us.

7God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph,

I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

8Gilead is mine. Manasseh is mine.

Ephraim also is my helmet.

Judah is my scepter.

9Moab is my wash pot.

I will toss my sandal on Edom.

I will shout over Philistia.”

10Who will bring me into the fortified city?

Who has led me to Edom?

11Haven’t you rejected us, God?

You don’t go forth, God, with our armies.

12Give us help against the enemy,

For the help of man is vain.

13Through God, we will do valiantly.

For it is he who will tread down our enemies.

Chapter 109

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1God of my praise, don’t remain silent,

2For they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.

They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.

3They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,

And fought against me without a cause.

4In return for my love, they are my adversaries;

But I am in prayer.

5They have rewarded me evil for good,

And hatred for my love.

6Set a wicked man over him.

Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

7When he is judged, let him come forth guilty.

Let his prayer be turned into sin.

8Let his days be few.

Let another take his office.

9Let his children be fatherless,

And his wife a widow.

10Let his children be wandering beggars.

Let them be sought from their ruins.

11Let the creditor seize all that he has.

Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.

12Let there be none to extend kindness to him,

Neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.

13Let his posterity be cut off.

In the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh.

Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15Let them be before Yahweh continually,

That he may cut off the memory of them from the earth;

16Because he didn’t remember to show kindness,

But persecuted the poor and needy man,

The broken in heart, to kill them.

17Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him.

He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

18He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment.

It came into his inward parts like water,

Like oil into his bones.

19Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself,

For the belt that is always around him.

20This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh,

Of those who speak evil against my soul.

21But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for your name’s sake,

Because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;

22For I am poor and needy.

My heart is wounded within me.

23I fade away like an evening shadow.

I am shaken off like a locust.

24My knees are weak through fasting.

My body is thin and lacks fat.

25I have also become a reproach to them.

When they see me, they shake their head.

26Help me, Yahweh, my God.

Save me according to your loving kindness;

27That they may know that this is your hand;

That you, Yahweh, have done it.

28They may curse, but you bless.

When they arise, they will be shamed,

But your servant shall rejoice.

29Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.

Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

30I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth.

Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.

31For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,

To save him from those who judge his soul.

Chapter 110

A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,

Until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”

2Yahweh will send forth the rod of your strength out of Zion.

Rule in the midst of your enemies.

3Your 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.

4Yahweh has sworn, and will not change his mind:

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

5The Lord is at your right hand.

He will crush kings in the day of his wrath.

6He will judge among the nations.

He will heap up dead bodies.

He will crush the ruler of the whole earth.

7He will drink of the brook in the way;

Therefore he will lift up his head.

Chapter 111

1Praise Yah!

I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart,

In the council of the upright, and in the congregation.

2Yahweh’s works are great,

Pondered by all those who delight in them.

3His work is honor and majesty.

His righteousness endures forever.

4He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered.

Yahweh is gracious and merciful.

5He has given food to those who fear him.

He always remembers his covenant.

6He has shown his people the power of his works,

In giving them the heritage of the nations.

7The works of his hands are truth and justice.

All his precepts are sure.

8They are established forever and ever.

They are done in truth and uprightness.

9He has sent redemption to his people.

He has ordained his covenant forever.

His name is holy and awesome!

10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.

All those who do his work have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever!

Chapter 112

1Praise Yah!

Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh,

Who delights greatly in his commandments.

2His seed will be mighty in the land.

The generation of the upright will be blessed.

3Wealth and riches are in his house.

His righteousness endures forever.

4Light dawns in the darkness for the upright,

Gracious, merciful, and righteous.

5It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends.

He will maintain his cause in judgment.

6For he will never be shaken.

The righteous will be remembered forever.

7He will not be afraid of evil news.

His heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh.

8His heart is established.

He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries.

9He has dispersed, he has given to the poor.

His righteousness endures forever.

His horn will be exalted with honor.

10The wicked will see it, and be grieved.

He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away.

The desire of the wicked will perish.

Chapter 113

1Praise Yah!

Praise, you servants of Yahweh,

Praise the name of Yahweh.

2Blessed be the name of Yahweh,

From this time forth and forevermore.

3From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same,

Yahweh’s name is to be praised.

4Yahweh is high above all nations,

His glory above the heavens.

5Who is like Yahweh, our God,

Who has his seat on high,

6Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?

7He raises up the poor out of the dust.

Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;

8That he may set him with princes,

Even with the princes of his people.

9He settles the barren woman in her home,

As a joyful mother of children.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 114

1When Israel went forth out of Egypt,

The house of Jacob from a people of foreign language;

2Judah became his sanctuary,

Israel his dominion.

3The sea saw it, and fled.

The Jordan was driven back.

4The mountains skipped like rams,

The little hills like lambs.

5What was it, you sea, that you fled?

You Jordan, that you turned back?

6You mountains, that you skipped like rams;

You little hills, like lambs?

7Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord,

At the presence of the God of Jacob,

8Who turned the rock into a pool of water,

The flint into a spring of waters.

Chapter 115

1Not to us, Yahweh, not to us,

But to your name give glory,

For your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake.

2Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God, now?”

3But our God is in the heavens.

He does whatever he pleases.

4Their idols are silver and gold,

The work of men’s hands.

5They have mouths, but they don’t speak;

They have eyes, but they don’t see;

6They have ears, but they don’t hear;

They have noses, but they don’t smell;

7They have hands, but they don’t feel;

They have feet, but they don’t walk;

Neither do they speak through their throat.

8Those who make them will be like them;

Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

9Israel, trust in Yahweh!

He is their help and their shield.

10House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh!

He is their help and their shield.

11You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh!

He is their help and their shield.

12Yahweh remembers us. He will bless us.

He will bless the house of Israel.

He will bless the house of Aaron.

13He will bless those who fear Yahweh,

Both small and great.

14May Yahweh increase you more and more,

You and your children.

15Blessed are you by Yahweh,

Who made heaven and earth.

16The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh;

But the earth has he given to the children of men.

17The dead don’t praise Yah,

Neither any who go down into silence;

18But we will bless Yah,

From this time forth and forevermore.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 116

1I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice,

And my cries for mercy.

2Because he has turned his ear to me,

Therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

3The cords of death surrounded me,

The pains of Sheol got a hold of me.

I found trouble and sorrow.

4Then called I on the name of Yahweh:

“Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”

5Gracious is Yahweh, and righteous;

Yes, our God is merciful.

6Yahweh preserves the simple.

I was brought low, and he saved me.

7Return to your rest, my soul,

For Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.

8For you have delivered my soul from death,

My eyes from tears,

And my feet from falling.

9I will walk before Yahweh in the land of the living.

10I believed, therefore I said,

“I was greatly afflicted.”

11I said in my haste,

“All men are liars.”

12What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?

13I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of Yahweh.

14I will pay my vows to Yahweh,

Yes, in the presence of all his people.

15Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of his saints.

16Yahweh, truly I am your servant.

I am your servant, the son of your handmaid.

You have freed me from my chains.

17I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

And will call on the name of Yahweh.

18I will pay my vows to Yahweh,

Yes, in the presence of all his people,

19In the courts of Yahweh’s house,

In the midst of you, Jerusalem.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 117

1Praise Yahweh, all you nations!

Extol him, all you peoples!

2For his loving kindness is great toward us.

Yahweh’s faithfulness endures forever.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 118

1Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

For his loving kindness endures forever.

2Let Israel now say

That his loving kindness endures forever.

3Let the house of Aaron now say

That his loving kindness endures forever.

4Now let those who fear Yahweh say

That his loving kindness endures forever.

5Out of my distress, I called on Yah.

Yah answered me with freedom.

6Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

7Yahweh is on my side among those who help me.

Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

8It is better to take refuge in Yahweh,

Than to put confidence in man.

9It is better to take refuge in Yahweh,

Than to put confidence in princes.

10All the nations surrounded me,

But in the name of Yahweh, I cut them off.

11They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me.

In the name of Yahweh I indeed cut them off.

12They surrounded me like bees.

They are quenched like the burning thorns.

In the name of Yahweh I cut them off.

13You pushed me back hard, to make me fall,

But Yahweh helped me.

14Yah is my strength and song.

He has become my salvation.

15The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.

“The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.

16The right hand of Yahweh is exalted!

The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”

17I will not die, but live,

And declare Yah’s works.

18Yah has punished me severely,

But he has not given me over to death.

19Open to me the gates of righteousness.

I will enter into them.

I will give thanks to Yah.

20This is the gate of Yahweh;

The righteous will enter into it.

21I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me,

And have become my salvation.

22The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

23This is Yahweh’s doing.

It is marvelous in our eyes.

24This is the day that Yahweh has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it!

25Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh;

Yahweh, we beg you, now send prosperity.

26Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh!

We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh.

27Yahweh is God, and he has given us light.

Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you.

You are my God, I will exalt you.

29Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good,

For his loving kindness endures forever.

Chapter 119

ALEPH

1Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,

Who walk according to Yahweh’s law.

2Blessed are those who keep his statutes,

Who seek him with their whole heart.

3Yes, they do nothing wrong.

They walk in his ways.

4You have commanded your precepts,

That we should fully obey them.

5Oh that my ways were steadfast

To obey your statutes!

6Then I wouldn’t be disappointed,

When I consider all of your commandments.

7I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart,

When I learn your righteous judgments.

8I will observe your statutes.

Don’t utterly forsake me.

BEIT

9How can a young man keep his way pure?

By living according to your word.

10With my whole heart, I have sought you.

Don’t let me wander from your commandments.

11I have hidden your word in my heart,

That I might not sin against you.

12Blessed are you, Yahweh.

Teach me your statutes.

13With my lips,

I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.

14I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies,

As much as in all riches.

15I will meditate on your precepts,

And consider your ways.

16I will delight myself in your statutes.

I will not forget your word.

GIMEL

17Do good to your servant.

I will live and I will obey your word.

18Open my eyes,

That I may see wondrous things out of your law.

19I am a stranger on the earth.

Don’t hide your commandments from me.

20My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.

21You have rebuked the proud who are cursed,

Who wander from your commandments.

22Take reproach and contempt away from me,

For I have kept your statutes.

23Though princes sit and slander me,

Your servant will meditate on your statutes.

24Indeed your statutes are my delight,

And my counselors.

DALED

25My soul is laid low in the dust.

Revive me according to your word!

26I declared my ways, and you answered me.

Teach me your statutes.

27Let me understand the teaching of your precepts!

Then I will meditate on your wondrous works.

28My soul is weary with sorrow:

Strengthen me according to your word.

29Keep me from the way of deceit.

Grant me your law graciously!

30I have chosen the way of truth.

I have set my heart on your law.

31I cling to your statutes, Yahweh.

Don’t let me be disappointed.

32I run in the path of your commandments,

For you have set my heart free.

HEY

33Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your statutes.

I will keep them to the end.

34Give me understanding, and I will keep your law.

Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

35Direct me in the path of your commandments,

For I delight in them.

36Turn my heart toward your statutes,

Not toward selfish gain.

37Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things.

Revive me in your ways.

38Fulfill your promise to your servant,

That you may be feared.

39Take away my disgrace that I dread,

For your ordinances are good.

40Behold, I long for your precepts!

Revive me in your righteousness.

WAW

41Let your loving kindness also come to me, Yahweh,

Your salvation, according to your word.

42So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me,

For I trust in your word.

43Don’t snatch the word of truth out of my mouth,

For I put my hope in your ordinances.

44So I will obey your law continually,

Forever and ever.

45I will walk in liberty,

For I have sought your precepts.

46I will also speak of your statutes before kings,

And will not be disappointed.

47I will delight myself in your commandments,

Because I love them.

48I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love.

I will meditate on your statutes.

ZAYIN

49Remember your word to your servant,

Because you gave me hope.

50This is my comfort in my affliction,

For your word has revived me.

51The arrogant mock me excessively,

But I don’t swerve from your law.

52I remember your ordinances of old, Yahweh,

And have comforted myself.

53Indignation has taken hold on me,

Because of the wicked who forsake your law.

54Your statutes have been my songs,

In the house where I live.

55I have remembered your name, Yahweh, in the night,

And I obey your law.

56This is my way,

That I keep your precepts.

CHET

57Yahweh is my portion.

I promised to obey your words.

58I sought your favor with my whole heart.

Be merciful to me according to your word.

59I considered my ways,

And turned my steps to your statutes.

60I will hurry, and not delay,

To obey your commandments.

61The ropes of the wicked bind me,

But I won’t forget your law.

62At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you,

Because of your righteous ordinances.

63I am a friend of all those who fear you,

Of those who observe your precepts.

64The earth is full of your loving kindness, Yahweh.

Teach me your statutes.

TET

65Do good to your servant,

According to your word, Yahweh.

66Teach me good judgment and knowledge,

For I believe in your commandments.

67Before I was afflicted, I went astray;

But now I observe your word.

68You are good, and do good.

Teach me your statutes.

69The proud have smeared a lie upon me.

With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.

70Their heart is as callous as the fat,

But I delight in your law.

71It is good for me that I have been afflicted,

That I may learn your statutes.

72The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

YUD

73Your hands have made me and formed me.

Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.

74Those who fear you will see me and be glad,

Because I have put my hope in your word.

75Yahweh, I know that your judgments are righteous,

That in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

76Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort,

According to your word to your servant.

77Let your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;

For your law is my delight.

78Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully.

I will meditate on your precepts.

79Let those who fear you turn to me.

They will know your statutes.

80Let my heart be blameless toward your decrees,

That I may not be disappointed.

KAF

81My soul faints for your salvation.

I hope in your word.

82My eyes fail for your word.

I say, “When will you comfort me?”

83For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke.

I don’t forget your statutes.

84How many are the days of your servant?

When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?

85The proud have dug pits for me,

Contrary to your law.

86All of your commandments are faithful.

They persecute me wrongfully.

Help me!

87They had almost wiped me from the earth,

But I didn’t forsake your precepts.

88Preserve my life according to your loving kindness,

So I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

LAMED

89Yahweh, your word is settled in heaven forever.

90Your faithfulness is to all generations.

You have established the earth, and it remains.

91Your laws remain to this day,

For all things serve you.

92Unless your law had been my delight,

I would have perished in my affliction.

93I will never forget your precepts,

For with them, you have revived me.

94I am yours.

Save me, for I have sought your precepts.

95The wicked have waited for me, to destroy me.

I will consider your statutes.

96I have seen a limit to all perfection,

But your commands are boundless.

MEM

97How love I your law!

It is my meditation all day.

98Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

For your commandments are always with me.

99I have more understanding than all my teachers,

For your testimonies are my meditation.

100I understand more than the aged,

Because I have kept your precepts.

101I have kept my feet from every evil way,

That I might observe your word.

102I have not turned aside from your ordinances,

For you have taught me.

103How sweet are your promises to my taste,

More than honey to my mouth!

104Through your precepts, I get understanding;

Therefore I hate every false way.

NUN

105Your word is a lamp to my feet,

And a light for my path.

106I have sworn, and have confirmed it,

That I will obey your righteous ordinances.

107I am afflicted very much.

Revive me, Yahweh, according to your word.

108Accept, I beg you, the willing offerings of my mouth.

Yahweh, teach me your ordinances.

109My soul is continually in my hand,

Yet I won’t forget your law.

110The wicked have laid a snare for me,

Yet I haven’t gone astray from your precepts.

111I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever,

For they are the joy of my heart.

112I have set my heart to perform your statutes forever,

Even to the end.

SAMEKH

113I hate double-minded men,

But I love your law.

114You are my hiding place and my shield.

I hope in your word.

115Depart from me, you evildoers,

That I may keep the commandments of my God.

116Uphold me according to your word, that I may live.

Let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117Hold me up, and I will be safe,

And will have respect for your statutes continually.

118You reject all those who stray from your statutes,

For their deceit is in vain.

119You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross.

Therefore I love your testimonies.

120My flesh trembles for fear of you.

I am afraid of your judgments.

AYIN

121I have done what is just and righteous.

Don’t leave me to my oppressors.

122Ensure your servant’s well-being.

Don’t let the proud oppress me.

123My eyes fail looking for your salvation,

For your righteous word.

124Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness.

Teach me your statutes.

125I am your servant. Give me understanding,

That I may know your testimonies.

126It is time to act, Yahweh,

For they break your law.

127Therefore I love your commandments more than gold,

Yes, more than pure gold.

128Therefore I consider all of your precepts to be right.

I hate every false way.

PEY

129Your testimonies are wonderful,

Therefore my soul keeps them.

130The entrance of your words gives light.

It gives understanding to the simple.

131I opened my mouth wide and panted,

For I longed for your commandments.

132Turn to me, and have mercy on me,

As you always do to those who love your name.

133Establish my footsteps in your word.

Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me.

134Redeem me from the oppression of man,

So I will observe your precepts.

135Make your face shine on your servant.

Teach me your statutes.

136Streams of tears run down my eyes,

Because they don’t observe your law.

TZADI

137You are righteous, Yahweh.

Your judgments are upright.

138You have commanded your statutes in righteousness.

They are fully trustworthy.

139My zeal wears me out,

Because my enemies ignore your words.

140Your promises have been thoroughly tested,

And your servant loves them.

141I am small and despised.

I don’t forget your precepts.

142Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness.

Your law is truth.

143Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me.

Your commandments are my delight.

144Your testimonies are righteous forever.

Give me understanding, that I may live.

KUF

145I have called with my whole heart.

Answer me, Yahweh!

I will keep your statutes.

146I have called to you. Save me!

I will obey your statutes.

147I rise before dawn and cry for help.

I put my hope in your words.

148My eyes stay open through the night watches,

That I might meditate on your word.

149Hear my voice according to your loving kindness.

Revive me, Yahweh, according to your ordinances.

150They draw near who follow after wickedness.

They are far from your law.

151You are near, Yahweh.

All your commandments are truth.

152Of old I have known from your testimonies,

That you have founded them forever.

RESH

153Consider my affliction, and deliver me,

For I don’t forget your law.

154Plead my cause, and redeem me!

Revive me according to your promise.

155Salvation is far from the wicked,

For they don’t seek your statutes.

156Great are your tender mercies, Yahweh.

Revive me according to your ordinances.

157Many are my persecutors and my adversaries.

I haven’t swerved from your testimonies.

158I look at the faithless with loathing,

Because they don’t observe your word.

159Consider how I love your precepts.

Revive me, Yahweh, according to your loving kindness.

160All of your words are truth.

Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

SIN AND SHIN

161Princes have persecuted me without a cause,

But my heart stands in awe of your words.

162I rejoice at your word,

As one who finds great spoil.

163I hate and abhor falsehood.

I love your law.

164Seven times a day, I praise you,

Because of your righteous ordinances.

165Those who love your law have great peace.

Nothing causes them to stumble.

166I have hoped for your salvation, Yahweh.

I have done your commandments.

167My soul has observed your testimonies.

I love them exceedingly.

168I have obeyed your precepts and your testimonies,

For all my ways are before you.

TAV

169Let my cry come before you, Yahweh.

Give me understanding according to your word.

170Let my supplication come before you.

Deliver me according to your word.

171Let my lips utter praise,

For you teach me your statutes.

172Let my tongue sing of your word,

For all your commandments are righteousness.

173Let your hand be ready to help me,

For I have chosen your precepts.

174I have longed for your salvation, Yahweh.

Your law is my delight.

175Let my soul live, that I may praise you.

Let your ordinances help me.

176I have gone astray like a lost sheep.

Seek your servant, for I don’t forget your commandments.

Chapter 120

A Song of Ascents.

1In my distress, I cried to Yahweh.

He answered me.

2Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips,

From a deceitful tongue.

3What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you,

You deceitful tongue?

4Sharp arrows of the mighty,

With coals of juniper.

5Woe is me, that I live in Meshech,

That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6My soul has had her dwelling too long

With him who hates peace.

7I am for peace,

But when I speak, they are for war.

Chapter 121

A Song of Ascents.

1I will lift up my eyes to the hills.

Where does my help come from?

2My help comes from Yahweh,

Who made heaven and earth.

3He will not allow your foot to be moved.

He who keeps you will not slumber.

4Behold, he who keeps Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5Yahweh is your keeper.

Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.

6The sun will not harm you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

7Yahweh will keep you from all evil.

He will keep your soul.

8Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in,

From this time forth, and forevermore.

Chapter 122

A Song of Ascents. By David.

1I was glad when they said to me,

“Let’s go to Yahweh’s house!”

2Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem;

3Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact together;

4Where the tribes go up, even Yah’s tribes,

According to an ordinance for Israel,

To give thanks to the name of Yahweh.

5For there are set thrones for judgment,

The thrones of David’s house.

6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Those who love you will prosper.

7Peace be within your walls,

And prosperity within your palaces.

8For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes,

I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

9For the sake of the house of Yahweh our God,

I will seek your good.

Chapter 123

A Song of Ascents.

1To you I do lift up my eyes,

You who sit in the heavens.

2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress;

So our eyes look to Yahweh, our God,

Until he has mercy on us.

3Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us,

For we have endured much contempt.

4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease,

With the contempt of the proud.

Chapter 124

A Song of Ascents. By David.

1If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side,

Let Israel now say,

2If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side,

When men rose up against us;

3Then they would have swallowed us up alive,

When their wrath was kindled against us;

4Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,

The stream would have gone over our soul;

5Then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.

6Blessed be Yahweh,

Who has not given us as a prey to their teeth.

7Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare.

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

8Our help is in the name of Yahweh,

Who made heaven and earth.

Chapter 125

A Song of Ascents.

1Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion,

Which can’t be moved, but remains forever.

2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

So Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forth and forevermore.

3For the scepter of wickedness won’t remain over the allotment of the righteous;

So that the righteous won’t use their hands to do evil.

4Do good, Yahweh, to those who are good,

To those who are upright in their hearts.

5But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways,

Yahweh will lead them away with the workers of iniquity.

Peace be on Israel.

Chapter 126

A Song of Ascents.

1When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion,

We were like those who dream.

2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,

“Yahweh has done great things for them.”

3Yahweh has done great things for us,

And we are glad.

4Restore our fortunes again, Yahweh,

Like the streams in the Negev.

5Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.

6He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing,

Will assuredly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.

Chapter 127

A Song of Ascents. By Solomon.

1Unless Yahweh builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it.

Unless Yahweh watches over the city,

The watchman guards it in vain.

2It is vain for you to rise up early,

To stay up late,

Eating the bread of toil;

For he gives sleep to his loved ones.

3Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh.

The fruit of the womb is his reward.

4As arrows in the hand of a mighty man,

So are the children of youth.

5Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.

They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Chapter 128

A Song of Ascents.

1Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh,

Who walks in his ways.

2For you will eat the labor of your hands.

You will be happy, and it will be well with you.

3Your wife will be as a fruitful vine,

In the innermost parts of your house;

Your children like olive plants,

Around your table.

4Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears Yahweh.

5May Yahweh bless you out of Zion,

And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

6Yes, may you see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel.

Chapter 129

A Song of Ascents.

1Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up.

Let Israel now say,

2Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up,

Yet they have not prevailed against me.

3The plowers plowed on my back.

They made their furrows long.

4Yahweh is righteous.

He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.

5Let them be disappointed and turned backward,

All those who hate Zion.

6Let them be as the grass on the housetops,

Which withers before it grows up;

7With which the reaper doesn’t fill his hand,

Nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.

8Neither do those who go by say,

“The blessing of Yahweh be on you.

We bless you in the name of Yahweh.”

Chapter 130

A Song of Ascents.

1Out of the depths I have cried to you, Yahweh.

2Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.

3If you, Yah, kept a record of sins,

Lord, who could stand?

4But there is forgiveness with you,

Therefore you are feared.

5I wait for Yahweh.

My soul waits.

I hope in his word.

6My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning;

More than watchmen for the morning.

7Israel, hope in Yahweh,

For with Yahweh there is loving kindness.

With him is abundant redemption.

8He will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Chapter 131

A Song of Ascents. By David.

1Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty;

Nor do I concern myself with great matters,

Or things too wonderful for me.

2Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul,

Like a weaned child with his mother,

Like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3Israel, hope in Yahweh,

From this time forth and forevermore.

Chapter 132

A Song of Ascents.

1Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,

2How he swore to Yahweh,

And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3“Surely I will not come into the structure of my house,

Nor go up into my bed;

4I will not give sleep to my eyes,

Or slumber to my eyelids;

5Until I find out a place for Yahweh,

A dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah.

We found it in the field of Jaar:

7“We will go into his dwelling place.

We will worship at his footstool.

8Arise, Yahweh, into your resting place;

You, and the ark of your strength.

9Let your priest be clothed with righteousness.

Let your saints shout for joy!”

10For your servant David’s sake,

Don’t turn away the face of your anointed one.

11Yahweh has sworn to David in truth.

He will not turn from it:

“I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

12If your children will keep my covenant,

My testimony that I will teach them,

Their children also will sit on your throne forevermore.”

13For Yahweh has chosen Zion.

He has desired it for his habitation.

14“This is my resting place forever.

Here I will live, for I have desired it.

15I will abundantly bless her provision.

I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16Her priests I will also clothe with salvation.

Her saints will shout aloud for joy.

17There I will make the horn of David to bud.

I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

18I will clothe his enemies with shame,

But on himself, his crown will be resplendant.”

Chapter 133

A Song of Ascents. By David.

1See how good and how pleasant it is

For brothers to live together in unity!

2It is like the precious oil on the head,

That ran down on the beard,

Even Aaron’s beard;

That came down on the edge of his robes;

3Like the dew of Hermon,

That comes down on the hills of Zion:

For there Yahweh gives the blessing,

Even life forevermore.

Chapter 134

A Song of Ascents.

1Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh,

Who stand by night in Yahweh’s house!

2Lift up your hands in the sanctuary.

Praise Yahweh!

3May Yahweh bless you from Zion;

Even he who made heaven and earth.

Chapter 135

1Praise Yah!

Praise the name of Yahweh!

Praise him, you servants of Yahweh,

2You who stand in the house of Yahweh,

In the courts of our God’s house.

3Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good.

Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.

4For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself;

Israel for his own possession.

5For I know that Yahweh is great,

That our Lord is above all gods.

6Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done,

In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;

7Who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth;

Who makes lightnings with the rain;

Who brings forth the wind out of his treasuries;

8Who struck the firstborn of Egypt,

Both of man and animal;

9Who sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, Egypt,

On Pharaoh, and on all his servants;

10Who struck many nations,

And killed mighty kings,

11Sihon king of the Amorites,

Og king of Bashan,

And all the kingdoms of Canaan,

12And gave their land for a heritage,

A heritage to Israel, his people.

13Your name, Yahweh, endures forever;

Your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations.

14For Yahweh will judge his people,

And have compassion on his servants.

15The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

The work of men’s hands.

16They have mouths, but they can’t speak;

They have eyes, but they can’t see;

17They have ears, but they can’t hear;

Neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18Those who make them will be like them;

Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19House of Israel, praise Yahweh!

House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!

20House of Levi, praise Yahweh!

You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh!

21Blessed be Yahweh from Zion,

Who dwells at Jerusalem.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 136

1Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good;

For his loving kindness endures forever.

2Give thanks to the God of gods;

For his loving kindness endures forever.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

4To him who alone does great wonders;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

5To him who by understanding made the heavens;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

6To him who spread out the earth above the waters;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

7To him who made the great lights;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

8The sun to rule by day;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

9The moon and stars to rule by night;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

10To him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

11And brought out Israel from among them;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

12With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

13To him who divided the Red Sea apart;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

14And made Israel to pass through the midst of it;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

15But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

16To him who led his people through the wilderness;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

17To him who struck great kings;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

18And killed mighty kings;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

19Sihon king of the Amorites;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

20Og king of Bashan;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

21And gave their land as an inheritance;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

22Even a heritage to Israel his servant;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

23Who remembered us in our low estate;

For his loving kindness endures forever;

24And has delivered us from our adversaries;

For his loving kindness endures forever:

25Who gives food to every creature;

For his loving kindness endures forever.

26Oh give thanks to the God of heaven;

For his loving kindness endures forever.

Chapter 137

1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down.

Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2On the willows in the midst of it,

We hung up our harps.

3For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs.

Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy:

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?

5If I forget you, Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget its skill.

6Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you;

If I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom,

The day of Jerusalem;

Who said, “Raze it!

Raze it even to its foundation!”

8Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,

He will be happy who rewards you,

As you have served us.

9Happy shall he be,

Who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

Chapter 138

By David.

1I will give you thanks with my whole heart.

Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

2I will bow down toward your holy temple,

And give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;

For you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

3In the day that I called, you answered me.

You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

4All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,

For they have heard the words of your mouth.

5Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;

For great is Yahweh’s glory.

6For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;

But the proud, he knows from afar.

7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me.

You will stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies.

Your right hand will save me.

8Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;

Your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.

Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

Chapter 139

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, you have searched me,

And you know me.

2You know my sitting down and my rising up.

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

3You search out my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4For there is not a word on my tongue,

But, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.

5You hem me in behind and before.

You laid your hand on me.

6This knowledge is beyond me.

It’s lofty.

I can’t attain it.

7Where could I go from your Spirit?

Or where could I flee from your presence?

8If I ascend up into heaven, you are there.

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!

9If I take the wings of the dawn,

And settle in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10Even there your hand will lead me,

And your right hand will hold me.

11If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me;

The light around me will be night;”

12Even the darkness doesn’t hide from you,

But the night shines as the day.

The darkness is like light to you.

13For you formed my inmost being.

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I will give thanks to you,

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your works are wonderful.

My soul knows that very well.

15My frame wasn’t hidden from you,

When I was made in secret,

Woven together in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my body.

In your book they were all written,

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

How vast is the sum of them!

18If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand.

When I wake up, I am still with you.

19If only you, God, would kill the wicked.

Get away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20For they speak against you wickedly.

Your enemies take your name in vain.

21Yahweh, don’t I hate those who hate you?

Am I not grieved with those who rise up against you?

22I hate them with perfect hatred.

They have become my enemies.

23Search me, God, and know my heart.

Try me, and know my thoughts.

24See if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.

Chapter 140

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1Deliver me, Yahweh, from the evil man.

Preserve me from the violent man;

2Those who devise mischief in their hearts.

They continually gather themselves together for war.

3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent.

Viper’s poison is under their lips.

Selah.

4Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked.

Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.

5The proud have hidden a snare for me,

They have spread the cords of a net by the path.

They have set traps for me.

Selah.

6I said to Yahweh, “You are my God.”

Listen to the cry of my petitions, Yahweh.

7Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8Yahweh, don’t grant the desires of the wicked.

Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud.

Selah.

9As for the head of those who surround me,

Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10Let burning coals fall on them.

Let them be thrown into the fire,

Into miry pits, from where they never rise.

11An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth.

Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the needy.

13Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name.

The upright will dwell in your presence.

Chapter 141

A Psalm by David.

1Yahweh, I have called on you.

Come to me quickly!

Listen to my voice when I call to you.

2Let my prayer be set before you like incense;

The lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

3Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth.

Keep the door of my lips.

4Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing,

To practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity.

Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.

5Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness;

Let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head;

Don’t let my head refuse it;

Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.

6Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock.

They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.

7“As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”

8For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord.

In you, I take refuge.

Don’t leave my soul destitute.

9Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,

From the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10Let the wicked fall together into their own nets,

While I pass by.

Chapter 142

A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

1I cry with my voice to Yahweh.

With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.

2I pour out my complaint before him.

I tell him my troubles.

3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

You knew my path.

In the way in which I walk,

They have hidden a snare for me.

4Look on my right, and see;

For there is no one who is concerned for me.

Refuge has fled from me.

No one cares for my soul.

5I cried to you, Yahweh.

I said, “You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.”

6Listen to my cry,

For I am in desperate need.

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are stronger than me.

7Bring my soul out of prison,

That I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will surround me,

For you will be good to me.

Chapter 143

A Psalm by David.

1Hear my prayer, Yahweh.

Listen to my petitions.

In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.

2Don’t enter into judgment with your servant,

For in your sight no man living is righteous.

3For the enemy pursues my soul.

He has struck my life down to the ground.

He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.

4Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me.

My heart within me is desolate.

5I remember the days of old.

I meditate on all your doings.

I contemplate the work of your hands.

6I spread forth my hands to you.

My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land.

Selah.

7Hurry to answer me, Yahweh.

My spirit fails.

Don’t hide your face from me,

So that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.

8Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning,

For I trust in you.

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,

For I lift up my soul to you.

9Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies.

I flee to you to hide me.

10Teach me to do your will,

For you are my God.

Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness.

11Revive me, Yahweh, for your name’s sake.

In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.

12In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies,

And destroy all those who afflict my soul,

For I am your servant.

Chapter 144

By David.

1Blessed be Yahweh, my rock,

Who teaches my hands to war,

And my fingers to battle:

2My loving kindness, my fortress,

My high tower, my deliverer,

My shield, and he in whom I take refuge;

Who subdues my people under me.

3Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him?

Or the son of man, that you think of him?

4Man is like a breath.

His days are like a shadow that passes away.

5Part your heavens, Yahweh, and come down.

Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

6Throw out lightning, and scatter them.

Send out your arrows, and rout them.

7Stretch out your hand from above,

Rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters,

Out of the hands of foreigners;

8Whose mouths speak deceit,

Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9I will sing a new song to you, God.

On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.

10You are he who gives salvation to kings,

Who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.

11Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners,

Whose mouths speak deceit,

Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants,

Our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

13Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision.

Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

14Our oxen will pull heavy loads.

There is no breaking in, and no going away,

And no outcry in our streets.

15Happy are the people who are in such a situation.

Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

Chapter 145

A praise psalm by David.

1I will exalt you, my God, the King.

I will praise your name forever and ever.

2Every day I will praise you.

I will extol your name forever and ever.

3Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised!

His greatness is unsearchable.

4One generation will commend your works to another,

And will declare your mighty acts.

5Of the glorious majesty of your honor,

Of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

6Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts.

I will declare your greatness.

7They will utter the memory of your great goodness,

And will sing of your righteousness.

8Yahweh is gracious, merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

9Yahweh is good to all.

His tender mercies are over all his works.

10All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh.

Your saints will extol you.

11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom,

And talk about your power;

12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,

The glory of the majesty of his kingdom.

13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

14Yahweh upholds all who fall,

And raises up all those who are bowed down.

15The eyes of all wait for you.

You give them their food in due season.

16You open your hand,

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17Yahweh is righteous in all his ways,

And gracious in all his works.

18Yahweh is near to all those who call on him,

To all who call on him in truth.

19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him.

He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

20Yahweh preserves all those who love him,

But all the wicked he will destroy.

21My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh.

Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Chapter 146

1Praise Yah!

Praise Yahweh, my soul.

2While I live, I will praise Yahweh.

I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

3Don’t put your trust in princes,

Each a son of man in whom there is no help.

4His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth.

In that very day, his thoughts perish.

5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,

Whose hope is in Yahweh, his God:

6Who made heaven and earth,

The sea, and all that is in them;

Who keeps truth forever;

7Who executes justice for the oppressed;

Who gives food to the hungry.

Yahweh frees the prisoners.

8Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind.

Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down.

Yahweh loves the righteous.

9Yahweh preserves the foreigners.

He upholds the fatherless and widow,

But the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

10Yahweh will reign forever;

Your God, O Zion, to all generations.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 147

1Praise Yah,

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

For it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

2Yahweh builds up Jerusalem.

He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

3He heals the broken in heart,

And binds up their wounds.

4He counts the number of the stars.

He calls them all by their names.

5Great is our Lord, and mighty in power.

His understanding is infinite.

6Yahweh upholds the humble.

He brings the wicked down to the ground.

7Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving.

Sing praises on the harp to our God,

8Who covers the sky with clouds,

Who prepares rain for the earth,

Who makes grass grow on the mountains.

9He provides food for the livestock,

And for the young ravens when they call.

10He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse.

He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

11Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him,

In those who hope in his loving kindness.

12Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem!

Praise your God, Zion!

13For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.

He has blessed your children within you.

14He makes peace in your borders.

He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15He sends out his commandment to the earth.

His word runs very swiftly.

16He gives snow like wool,

And scatters frost like ashes.

17He hurls down his hail like pebbles.

Who can stand before his cold?

18He sends out his word, and melts them.

He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19He shows his word to Jacob;

His statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

20He has not done this for just any nation.

They don’t know his ordinances.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 148

1Praise Yah!

Praise Yahweh from the heavens!

Praise him in the heights!

2Praise him, all his angels!

Praise him, all his army!

3Praise him, sun and moon!

Praise him, all you shining stars!

4Praise him, you heavens of heavens,

You waters that are above the heavens.

5Let them praise the name of Yahweh,

For he commanded, and they were created.

6He has also established them forever and ever.

He has made a decree which will not pass away.

7Praise Yahweh from the earth,

You great sea creatures, and all depths!

8Lightning and hail, snow and clouds;

Stormy wind, fulfilling his word;

9Mountains and all hills;

Fruit trees and all cedars;

10Wild animals and all livestock;

Small creatures and flying birds;

11Kings of the earth and all peoples;

Princes and all judges of the earth;

12Both young men and maidens;

Old men and children:

13Let them praise the name of Yahweh,

For his name alone is exalted.

His glory is above the earth and the heavens.

14He 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 Yah!

Chapter 149

1Praise Yahweh!

Sing to Yahweh a new song,

His praise in the assembly of the saints.

2Let Israel rejoice in him who made them.

Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

3Let them praise his name in the dance!

Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!

4For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people.

He crowns the humble with salvation.

5Let the saints rejoice in honor.

Let them sing for joy on their beds.

6May the high praises of God be in their mouths,

And a two-edged sword in their hand;

7To execute vengeance on the nations,

And punishments on the peoples;

8To bind their kings with chains,

And their nobles with fetters of iron;

9To execute on them the written judgment.

All his saints have this honor.

Praise Yah!

Chapter 150

1Praise Yah!

Praise God in his sanctuary!

Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!

2Praise him for his mighty acts!

Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet!

Praise him with harp and lyre!

4Praise him with tambourine and dancing!

Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!

5Praise him with loud cymbals!

Praise him with resounding cymbals!

6Let everything that has breath praise Yah!

Praise Yah!

Proverbs

Chapter 1

1The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

2To know wisdom and instruction;

To discern the words of understanding;

3To receive instruction in wise dealing,

In righteousness, justice, and equity;

4To give prudence to the simple,

Knowledge and discretion to the young man:

5That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;

That the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

6To understand a proverb, and parables,

The words and riddles of the wise.

7The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;

But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

8My son, listen to your father’s instruction,

And don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:

9For they will be a garland to grace your head,

And chains around your neck.

10My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.

11If they say, “Come with us,

Let’s lay in wait for blood;

Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

12Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,

And whole, like those who go down into the pit.

13We’ll find all valuable wealth.

We’ll fill our houses with spoil.

14You shall cast your lot among us.

We’ll all have one purse.”

15My son, don’t walk in the way with them.

Keep your foot from their path,

16For their feet run to evil.

They hurry to shed blood.

17For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

18But these lay wait for their own blood.

They lurk secretly for their own lives.

19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.

It takes away the life of its owners.

20Wisdom calls aloud in the street.

She utters her voice in the public squares.

21She calls at the head of noisy places.

At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,

And fools hate knowledge?

23Turn at my reproof.

Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you.

I will make known my words to you.

24Because I have called, and you have refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

25But you have ignored all my counsel,

And wanted none of my reproof;

26I also will laugh at your disaster.

I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

27When calamity overtakes you like a storm,

When your disaster comes on like a whirlwind;

When distress and anguish come on you.

28Then will they call on me, but I will not answer.

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

29Because they hated knowledge,

And didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.

30They wanted none of my counsel.

They despised all my reproof.

31Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,

And be filled with their own schemes.

32For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.

The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

33But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,

And will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Chapter 2

1My son, if you will receive my words,

And store up my commandments within you;

2So as to turn your ear to wisdom,

And apply your heart to understanding;

3Yes, if you call out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding;

4If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures:

5Then you will understand the fear of Yahweh,

And find the knowledge of God.

6For Yahweh gives wisdom.

Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

7He lays up sound wisdom for the upright.

He is a shield to those who walk in integrity;

8That he may guard the paths of justice,

And preserve the way of his saints.

9Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

Equity and every good path.

10For wisdom will enter into your heart.

Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11Discretion will watch over you.

Understanding will keep you,

12To deliver you from the way of evil,

From the men who speak perverse things;

13Who forsake the paths of uprightness,

To walk in the ways of darkness;

14Who rejoice to do evil,

And delight in the perverseness of evil;

15Who are crooked in their ways,

And wayward in their paths:

16To deliver you from the strange woman,

Even from the foreigner who flatters with her words;

17Who forsakes the friend of her youth,

And forgets the covenant of her God:

18For her house leads down to death,

Her paths to the dead.

19None who go to her return again,

Neither do they attain to the paths of life:

20That you may walk in the way of good men,

And keep the paths of the righteous.

21For the upright will dwell in the land.

The perfect will remain in it.

22But the wicked will be cut off from the land.

The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Chapter 3

1My son, don’t forget my teaching;

But let your heart keep my commandments:

2For length of days, and years of life,

And peace, will they add to you.

3Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.

Bind them around your neck.

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4So you will find favor,

And good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,

And don’t lean on your own understanding.

6In all your ways acknowledge him,

And he will make your paths straight.

7Don’t be wise in your own eyes.

Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

8It will be health to your body,

And nourishment to your bones.

9Honor Yahweh with your substance,

With the first fruits of all your increase:

10So your barns will be filled with plenty,

And your vats will overflow with new wine.

11My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,

Neither be weary of his reproof:

12For whom Yahweh loves, he reproves;

Even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

13Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

The man who gets understanding.

14For her good profit is better than getting silver,

And her return is better than fine gold.

15She is more precious than rubies.

None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

16Length of days is in her right hand.

In her left hand are riches and honor.

17Her ways are ways of pleasantness.

All her paths are peace.

18She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.

Happy is everyone who retains her.

19By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth.

By understanding, he established the heavens.

20By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,

And the skies drop down the dew.

21My son, let them not depart from your eyes.

Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

22So they will be life to your soul,

And grace for your neck.

23Then you shall walk in your way securely.

Your foot won’t stumble.

24When you lie down, you will not be afraid.

Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

25Don’t be afraid of sudden fear,

Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

26For Yahweh will be your confidence,

And will keep your foot from being taken.

27Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,

When it is in the power of your hand to do it.

28Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

Tomorrow I will give it to you,”

When you have it by you.

29Don’t devise evil against your neighbor,

Seeing he dwells securely by you.

30Don’t strive with a man without cause,

If he has done you no harm.

31Don’t envy the man of violence.

Choose none of his ways.

32For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,

But his friendship is with the upright.

33Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,

But he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

34Surely he mocks the mockers,

But he gives grace to the humble.

35The wise will inherit glory,

But shame will be the promotion of fools.

Chapter 4

1Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.

Pay attention and know understanding;

2For I give you sound learning.

Don’t forsake my law.

3For I was a son to my father,

Tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

4He taught me, and said to me:

“Let your heart retain my words.

Keep my commandments, and live.

5Get wisdom.

Get understanding.

Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

6Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.

Love her, and she will keep you.

7Wisdom is supreme.

Get wisdom.

Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8Esteem her, and she will exalt you.

She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

9She will give to your head a garland of grace.

She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

10Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.

The years of your life will be many.

11I have taught you in the way of wisdom.

I have led you in straight paths.

12When you go, your steps will not be hampered.

When you run, you will not stumble.

13Take firm hold of instruction.

Don’t let her go.

Keep her, for she is your life.

14Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.

Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

15Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.

Turn from it, and pass on.

16For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil.

Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness,

And drink the wine of violence.

18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light,

That shines more and more until the perfect day.

19The way of the wicked is like darkness.

They don’t know what they stumble over.

20My son, attend to my words.

Turn your ear to my sayings.

21Let them not depart from your eyes.

Keep them in the midst of your heart.

22For they are life to those who find them,

And health to their whole body.

23Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it is the wellspring of life.

24Put away from yourself a perverse mouth.

Put corrupt lips far from you.

25Let your eyes look straight ahead.

Fix your gaze directly before you.

26Make the path of your feet level.

Let all of your ways be established.

27Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left.

Remove your foot from evil.

Chapter 5

1My son, pay attention to my wisdom.

Turn your ear to my understanding:

2That you may maintain discretion,

That your lips may preserve knowledge.

3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey.

Her mouth is smoother than oil,

4But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,

And as sharp as a two-edged sword.

5Her feet go down to death.

Her steps lead straight to Sheol.

6She gives no thought to the way of life.

Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.

7Now therefore, my sons, listen to me.

Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.

8Remove your way far from her.

Don’t come near the door of her house,

9Lest you give your honor to others,

And your years to the cruel one;

10Lest strangers feast on your wealth,

And your labors enrich another man’s house.

11You will groan at your latter end,

When your flesh and your body are consumed,

12And say, “How I have hated instruction,

And my heart despised reproof;

13Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers,

Nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!

14I have come to the brink of utter ruin,

In the midst of the gathered assembly.”

15Drink water out of your own cistern,

Running water out of your own well.

16Should your springs overflow in the streets,

Streams of water in the public squares?

17Let them be for yourself alone,

Not for strangers with you.

18Let your spring be blessed.

Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19A loving doe and a graceful deer„

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times.

Be captivated always with her love.

20For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress?

Why embrace the bosom of another?

21For the ways of man are before the eyes of Yahweh.

He examines all his paths.

22The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him.

The cords of his sin hold him firmly.

23He will die for lack of instruction.

In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.

Chapter 6

1My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,

If you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;

2You are trapped by the words of your mouth.

You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

3Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself,

Seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor.

Go, humble yourself.

Press your plea with your neighbor.

4Give no sleep to your eyes,

Nor slumber to your eyelids.

5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,

Like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6Go to the ant, you sluggard.

Consider her ways, and be wise;

7Which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

8Provides her bread in the summer,

And gathers her food in the harvest.

9How long will you sleep, sluggard?

When will you arise out of your sleep?

10A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to sleep:

11So your poverty will come as a robber,

And your scarcity as an armed man.

12A worthless person, a man of iniquity,

Is he who walks with a perverse mouth;

13Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,

Who motions with his fingers;

14In whose heart is perverseness,

Who devises evil continually,

Who always sows discord.

15Therefore his calamity will come suddenly.

He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

16There are six things which Yahweh hates;

Yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

Hands that shed innocent blood;

18A heart that devises wicked schemes,

Feet that are swift in running to mischief,

19A false witness who utters lies,

And he who sows discord among brothers.

20My son, keep your father’s commandment,

And don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.

21Bind them continually on your heart.

Tie them around your neck.

22When you walk, it will lead you.

When you sleep, it will watch over you.

When you awake, it will talk with you.

23For the commandment is a lamp,

And the law is light.

Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

24To keep you from the immoral woman,

From the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

25Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart,

Neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

26For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread.

The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

27Can a man scoop fire into his lap,

And his clothes not be burned?

28Or can one walk on hot coals,

And his feet not be scorched?

29So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife.

Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

30Men don’t despise a thief,

If he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

31But if he is found, he shall restore seven times.

He shall give all the wealth of his house.

32He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding.

He who does it destroys his own soul.

33He will get wounds and dishonor.

His reproach will not be wiped away.

34For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband.

He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.

35He won’t regard any ransom,

Neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

Chapter 7

1My son, keep my words.

Lay up my commandments within you.

2Keep my commandments and live;

Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

3Bind them on your fingers.

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.”

Call understanding your relative,

5That they may keep you from the strange woman,

From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

6For at the window of my house,

I looked out through my lattice.

7I saw among the simple ones.

I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

8Passing through the street near her corner,

He went the way to her house,

9In the twilight, in the evening of the day,

In the middle of the night and in the darkness.

10Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute,

And with crafty intent.

11She is loud and defiant.

Her feet don’t stay in her house.

12Now she is in the streets, now in the squares,

And lurking at every corner.

13So she caught him, and kissed him.

With an impudent face she said to him:

14“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me.

This day I have paid my vows.

15Therefore I came out to meet you,

To diligently seek your face,

And I have found you.

16I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry,

With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning.

Let’s solace ourselves with loving.

19For my husband isn’t at home.

He has gone on a long journey.

20He has taken a bag of money with him.

He will come home at the full moon.”

21With persuasive words, she led him astray.

With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

22He followed her immediately,

As an ox goes to the slaughter,

As a fool stepping into a noose.

23Until an arrow strikes through his liver,

As a bird hurries to the snare,

And doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

24Now therefore, sons, listen to me.

Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

25Don’t let your heart turn to her ways.

Don’t go astray in her paths,

26For she has thrown down many wounded.

Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

27Her house is the way to Sheol,

Going down to the chambers of death.

Chapter 8

1Doesn’t wisdom cry out?

Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

2On the top of high places by the way,

Where the paths meet, she stands.

3Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the entry doors, she cries aloud:

4“To you men, I call!

I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

5You simple, understand prudence.

You fools, be of an understanding heart.

6Hear, for I will speak excellent things.

The opening of my lips is for right things.

7For my mouth speaks truth.

Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness.

There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

9They are all plain to him who understands,

Right to those who find knowledge.

10Receive my instruction rather than silver;

Knowledge rather than choice gold.

11For wisdom is better than rubies.

All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

12“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling.

Find out knowledge and discretion.

13The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.

I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

14Counsel and sound knowledge are mine.

I have understanding and power.

15By me kings reign,

And princes decree justice.

16By me princes rule;

Nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

17I love those who love me.

Those who seek me diligently will find me.

18With me are riches, honor,

Enduring wealth, and prosperity.

19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold;

My yield than choice silver.

20I walk in the way of righteousness,

In the midst of the paths of justice;

21That I may give wealth to those who love me.

I fill their treasuries.

22“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work,

Before his deeds of old.

23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

Before the earth existed.

24When there were no depths, I was brought forth,

When there were no springs abounding with water.

25Before the mountains were settled in place,

Before the hills, I was brought forth;

26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,

Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

27When he established the heavens, I was there;

When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

28When he established the clouds above,

When the springs of the deep became strong,

29When he gave to the sea its boundary,

That the waters should not violate his commandment,

When he marked out the foundations of the earth;

30Then I was the craftsman by his side.

I was a delight day by day,

Always rejoicing before him,

31Rejoicing in his whole world.

My delight was with the sons of men.

32“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

For blessed are those who keep my ways.

33Hear instruction, and be wise.

Don’t refuse it.

34Blessed is the man who hears me,

Watching daily at my gates,

Waiting at my door posts.

35For whoever finds me, finds life,

And will obtain favor from Yahweh.

36But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.

All those who hate me love death.”

Chapter 9

1Wisdom has built her house.

She has carved out her seven pillars.

2She has prepared her meat.

She has mixed her wine.

She has also set her table.

3She has sent out her maidens.

She cries from the highest places of the city:

4“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

5“Come, eat some of my bread,

Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!

6Leave your simple ways, and live.

Walk in the way of understanding.”

7He who corrects a mocker invites insult.

He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.

8Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you.

Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser.

Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

10The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.

The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

11For by me your days will be multiplied.

The years of your life will be increased.

12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself.

If you mock, you alone will bear it.

13The foolish woman is loud,

Undisciplined, and knows nothing.

14She sits at the door of her house,

On a seat in the high places of the city,

15To call to those who pass by,

Who go straight on their ways,

16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.”

As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,

17“Stolen water is sweet.

Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”

18But he doesn’t know that the dead are there,

That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Chapter 10

1The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father;

But a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,

But righteousness delivers from death.

3Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry,

But he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.

4He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,

But the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

5He who gathers in summer is a wise son,

But he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

7The memory of the righteous is blessed,

But the name of the wicked will rot.

8The wise in heart accept commandments,

But a chattering fool will fall.

9He who walks blamelessly walks surely,

But he who perverts his ways will be found out.

10One winking with the eye causes sorrow,

But a chattering fool will fall.

11The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,

But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

12Hatred stirs up strife,

But love covers all wrongs.

13Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment,

But a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

14Wise men lay up knowledge,

But the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.

15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.

The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16The labor of the righteous leads to life.

The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

17He is in the way of life who heeds correction,

But he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

18He who hides hatred has lying lips.

He who utters a slander is a fool.

19In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience,

But he who restrains his lips does wisely.

20The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver.

The heart of the wicked is of little worth.

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

But the foolish die for lack of understanding.

22Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth,

And he adds no trouble to it.

23It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness,

But wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

24What the wicked fear, will overtake them,

But the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more;

But the righteous stand firm forever.

26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,

So is the sluggard to those who send him.

27The fear of Yahweh prolongs days,

But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

28The prospect of the righteous is joy,

But the hope of the wicked will perish.

29The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright,

But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

30The righteous will never be removed,

But the wicked will not dwell in the land.

31The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

But the perverse tongue will be cut off.

32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

But the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

Chapter 11

1A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh,

But accurate weights are his delight.

2When pride comes, then comes shame,

But with humility comes wisdom.

3The integrity of the upright shall guide them,

But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

4Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath,

But righteousness delivers from death.

5The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way,

But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them,

But the unfaithful will be trapped by evil desires.

7When a wicked man dies, hope perishes,

And expectation of power comes to nothing.

8A righteous person is delivered out of trouble,

And the wicked takes his place.

9With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,

But the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.

10When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices.

When the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted,

But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12One who despises his neighbor is void of wisdom,

But a man of understanding holds his peace.

13One who brings gossip betrays a confidence,

But one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

14Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls,

But in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

15He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it,

But he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

16A gracious woman obtains honor,

But violent men obtain riches.

17The merciful man does good to his own soul,

But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

18Wicked people earn deceitful wages,

But one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

19He who is truly righteous gets life.

He who pursues evil gets death.

20Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh,

But those whose ways are blameless are his delight.

21Most assuredly, the evil man will not be unpunished,

But the seed of the righteous will be delivered.

22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout,

Is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

23The desire of the righteous is only good.

The expectation of the wicked is wrath.

24There is one who scatters, and increases yet more.

There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

25The liberal soul shall be made fat.

He who waters shall be watered also himself.

26People curse someone who withholds grain,

But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

27He who diligently seeks good seeks favor,

But he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.

28He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

29He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.

The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

He who is wise wins souls.

31Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth;

How much more the wicked and the sinner!

Chapter 12

1Whoever loves correction loves knowledge,

But he who hates reproof is stupid.

2A good man shall obtain favor from Yahweh,

But he will condemn a man of wicked devices.

3A man shall not be established by wickedness,

But the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

4A worthy woman is the crown of her husband,

But a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

5The thoughts of the righteous are just,

But the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

6The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood,

But the speech of the upright rescues them.

7The wicked are overthrown, and are no more,

But the house of the righteous shall stand.

8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom,

But he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

9Better is he who is lightly esteemed, and has a servant,

Than he who honors himself, and lacks bread.

10A righteous man regards the life of his animal,

But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

11He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread,

But he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

12The wicked desires the plunder of evil men,

But the root of the righteous flourishes.

13An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips,

But the righteous shall come out of trouble.

14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth.

The work of a man’s hands shall be rewarded to him.

15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

But he who is wise listens to counsel.

16A fool shows his annoyance the same day,

But one who overlooks an insult is prudent.

17He who is truthful testifies honestly,

But a false witness lies.

18There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword,

But the tongue of the wise heals.

19Truth’s lips will be established forever,

But a lying tongue is only momentary.

20Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil,

But joy comes to the promoters of peace.

21No mischief shall happen to the righteous,

But the wicked shall be filled with evil.

22Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh,

But those who do the truth are his delight.

23A prudent man keeps his knowledge,

But the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

24The hands of the diligent ones shall rule,

But laziness ends in slave labor.

25Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

But a kind word makes it glad.

26A righteous person is cautious in friendship,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27The slothful man doesn’t roast his game,

But the possessions of diligent men are prized.

28In the way of righteousness is life;

In its path there is no death.

Chapter 13

1A wise son listens to his father’s instruction,

But a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.

2By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things;

But the unfaithful crave violence.

3He who guards his mouth guards his soul.

One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

4The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing,

But the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

5A righteous man hates lies,

But a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.

6Righteousness guards the way of integrity,

But wickedness overthrows the sinner.

7There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing.

There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

8The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,

But the poor hear no threats.

9The light of the righteous shines brightly,

But the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

10Pride only breeds quarrels,

But with ones who take advice is wisdom.

11Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away,

But he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

12Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

But when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

13Whoever despises instruction will pay for it,

But he who respects a command will be rewarded.

14The teaching of the wise is a spring of life,

To turn from the snares of death.

15Good understanding wins favor;

But the way of the unfaithful is hard.

16Every prudent man acts from knowledge,

But a fool exposes folly.

17A wicked messenger falls into trouble,

But a trustworthy envoy gains healing.

18Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline,

But he who heeds correction shall be honored.

19Longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

But fools detest turning from evil.

20One who walks with wise men grows wise,

But a companion of fools suffers harm.

21Misfortune pursues sinners,

But prosperity rewards the righteous.

22A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

But the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

23An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields,

But injustice sweeps it away.

24One who spares the rod hates his son,

But one who loves him is careful to discipline him.

25The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul,

But the belly of the wicked goes hungry.

Chapter 14

1Every wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

2He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh,

But he who is perverse in his ways despises him.

3The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back,

But the lips of the wise protect them.

4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,

But much increase is by the strength of the ox.

5A truthful witness will not lie,

But a false witness pours out lies.

6A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it,

But knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.

7Stay away from a foolish man,

For you won’t find knowledge on his lips.

8The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way,

But the folly of fools is deceit.

9Fools mock at making atonement for sins,

But among the upright there is good will.

10The heart knows its own bitterness and joy;

He will not share these with a stranger.

11The house of the wicked will be overthrown,

But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12There is a way which seems right to a man,

But in the end it leads to death.

13Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful,

And mirth may end in heaviness.

14The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways;

Likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.

15A simple man believes everything,

But the prudent man carefully considers his ways.

16A wise man fears, and shuns evil,

But the fool is hotheaded and reckless.

17He who is quick to become angry will commit folly,

And a crafty man is hated.

18The simple inherit folly,

But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

19The evil bow down before the good,

And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor,

But the rich person has many friends.

21He who despises his neighbor sins,

But blessed is he who has pity on the poor.

22Don’t they go astray who plot evil?

But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.

23In all hard work there is profit,

But the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

24The crown of the wise is their riches,

But the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

25A truthful witness saves souls,

But a false witness is deceitful.

26In the fear of Yahweh is a secure fortress,

And he will be a refuge for his children.

27The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,

Turning people from the snares of death.

28In the multitude of people is the king’s glory,

But in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.

29He who is slow to anger has great understanding,

But he who has a quick temper displays folly.

30The life of the body is a heart at peace,

But envy rots the bones.

31He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker,

But he who is kind to the needy honors him.

32The wicked is brought down in his calamity,

But in death, the righteous has a refuge.

33Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,

And is even made known in the inward part of fools.

34Righteousness exalts a nation,

But sin is a disgrace to any people.

35The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely,

But his wrath is toward one who causes shame.

Chapter 15

1A gentle answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,

But the mouth of fools gush out folly.

3Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere,

Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

4A gentle tongue is a tree of life,

But deceit in it crushes the spirit.

5A fool despises his father’s correction,

But he who heeds reproof shows prudence.

6In the house of the righteous is much treasure,

But the income of the wicked brings trouble.

7The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

Not so with the heart of fools.

8The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh,

But the prayer of the upright is his delight.

9The way of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh,

But he loves him who follows after righteousness.

10There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way:

Whoever hates reproof shall die.

11Sheol and Abaddon are before Yahweh„

How much more then the hearts of the children of men!

12A scoffer doesn’t love to be reproved;

He will not go to the wise.

13A glad heart makes a cheerful face;

But an aching heart breaks the spirit.

14The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,

But the mouths of fools feed on folly.

15All the days of the afflicted are wretched,

But one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.

16Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh,

Than great treasure with trouble.

17Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is,

Than a fattened calf with hatred.

18A wrathful man stirs up contention,

But one who is slow to anger appeases strife.

19The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch,

But the path of the upright is a highway.

20A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish man despises his mother.

21Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom,

But a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

22Where there is no counsel, plans fail;

But in a multitude of counselors they are established.

23Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth.

How good is a word at the right time!

24The path of life leads upward for the wise,

To keep him from going downward to Sheol.

25Yahweh will uproot the house of the proud,

But he will keep the widow’s borders intact.

26Yahweh detests the thoughts of the wicked,

But the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.

27He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,

But he who hates bribes will live.

28The heart of the righteous weighs answers,

But the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

29Yahweh is far from the wicked,

But he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart.

Good news gives health to the bones.

31The ear that listens to reproof lives,

And will be at home among the wise.

32He who refuses correction despises his own soul,

But he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

33The fear of Yahweh teaches wisdom.

Before honor is humility.

Chapter 16

1The plans of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.

2All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;

But Yahweh weighs the motives.

3Commit your deeds to Yahweh,

And your plans shall succeed.

4Yahweh has made everything for its own end„

Yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh:

They shall assuredly not be unpunished.

6By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for.

By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.

7When a man’s ways please Yahweh,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8Better is a little with righteousness,

Than great revenues with injustice.

9A man’s heart plans his course,

But Yahweh directs his steps.

10Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king.

He shall not betray his mouth.

11Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s;

All the weights in the bag are his work.

12It is an abomination for kings to do wrong,

For the throne is established by righteousness.