# verses

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with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles.' And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.


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After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem--now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him--unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying:


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Doth not Hezekiah persuade you, to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying: The LORD our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?


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Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying: Ye shall worship before one altar, and upon it shall ye offer?


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Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto 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?


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Who 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?


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Now therefore let not Hezekiah beguile you, nor persuade you after this manner, neither believe ye 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?'


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He wrote also a letter, to taunt the LORD, 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 not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of my hand.'


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And they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to terrify them, and to affright them; that they might take the city.


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And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.


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And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven.


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And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.


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


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And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.


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In those days Hezekiah was sick even unto death; and he prayed unto the LORD; and He spoke unto him, and gave him a sign.


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But Hezekiah rendered not according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up; therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.


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Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.


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And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour; 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;


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store-houses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and flocks in folds.


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Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance.


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This 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. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.


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Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto 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.


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Now 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, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.


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And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the sepulchres of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.


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Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem.


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For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baalim, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.


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And he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD said: 'In Jerusalem shall My name be for ever.'


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He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practised soothsaying, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and appointed them that divined by a ghost or a familiar spirit; he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him.


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And he set the graven 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 for ever;


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neither 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 by the hand of Moses.'


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And Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, so that they did evil more than did the nations, whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.


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Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.


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And when he was in distress, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.


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And he prayed unto Him; and He was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He was God.


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Now 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 about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height; and he put captains of the army in all the fortified cities of Judah.


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And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.


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And he built up the altar of the LORD, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.


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Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.


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His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his transgression, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the graven images, before he humbled himself; behold, they are written in the history of the seers.


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So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his stead.


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And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed unto all the graven images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.


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And he humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon became guilty more and more.


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Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem.


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And he did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.


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For 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 graven images, and the molten images.


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And they broke down the altars of the Baalim in his presence; and the sun-images, that were on high above them, he hewed down; and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images, he broke in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.


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And so did he in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their axes round about.


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And he broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the graven images into powder, and hewed down all the sun-images throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.


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Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.


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And they 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 door, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and they returned to Jerusalem.


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And they delivered it into the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD gave it to mend and repair the house;


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even 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.


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And the 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 preside over it; and other of the Levites, all that had skill with instruments of music.


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Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and presided over all that did the work in every manner of service; and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.


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And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses.


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and Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe: 'I have found the book of the Law in the house of the LORD.' And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.


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And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word unto the king, saying: 'All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.


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And they have poured out the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen.'


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And Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying: 'Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book.' And Shaphan read therein before the king.


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And the 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:


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'Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according unto all that is written in this book.'


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So 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 dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter--and they spoke to her to that effect.


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Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah;


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because they have forsaken Me, and have offered unto other gods, that they might provoke Me with all the works of their hands; therefore is My wrath poured out upon this place, and it shall not be quenched.


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because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and hast humbled thyself before Me, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.


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Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof.' And they brought back word unto the king.


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And the king went up to the house of the LORD, 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 the LORD.


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And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.


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And he caused all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.


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And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were found in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. All his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.


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And Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem; and they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month.


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And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD.


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And he said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, that were holy unto the LORD: '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 upon your shoulders; now serve the LORD your God, and His people Israel.


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And prepare ye after your fathers' houses by your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.


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And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brethren the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a father's house of the Levites.


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And kill the passover lamb, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, to do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.'


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And Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the passover-offerings, unto all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks; these were of the king's substance.


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And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover-offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.


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Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the passover-offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.


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So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king's commandment.


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And they killed the passover lamb, and the priests dashed the blood, which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them.


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And they removed the portions that were to be burnt, that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers' houses of the children of the people, to present unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen.


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And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance; and the holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.


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And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests; because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering the portions that were to be burnt and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.


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And the 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 needed not to depart from their service, for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.


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So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.


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And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.


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And there was no passover like to 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 that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.


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After 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.


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But he sent ambassadors to him, saying: 'What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war; and God hath given command to speed me; forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that He destroy thee not.'


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Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Neco, from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.


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And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants: 'Have me away; for I am sore wounded.'


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So 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 sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.


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And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations, unto this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel; and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.


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Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the Law of the LORD,


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and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.


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Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.


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Joahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.


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And the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.


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And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.


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Jehoiakim was twenty and 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 the LORD his God.


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Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.


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Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.


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Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.


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Jehoiachin 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 the LORD.


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And at the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.


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Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem;


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and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God; he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.


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And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD, the God of Israel.


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Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, transgressed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the LORD which He had hallowed in Jerusalem.


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And the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent to them by His messengers, sending betimes and often; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-place;


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but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.


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Therefore He brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man or hoary-headed; He gave them all into his hand.


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And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.


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And they burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.


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And them that 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;


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to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had been paid her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.


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Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying:


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'Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all His people--the LORD his God be with him--let him go up.'


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NOW IN the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying:


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'Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.


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Whosoever there is among you of all His people--his God be with him--let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel, He is the God who is in Jerusalem.


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And whosoever is left, in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill-offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.'


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Then 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 the LORD which is in Jerusalem.


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And all they that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.


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Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;


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even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.


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And this is the number of them: thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, nine and twenty knives;


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thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.


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All 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 unto Jerusalem.


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Now these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and that returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;


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who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:


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The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.


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The 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 a hundred thirty and nine.


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The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda;


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the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of Ami.


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And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not tell their fathers' houses, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:


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And of 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.


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These sought their register, that is, the genealogy, but it was not found; therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.


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And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.


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beside their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.


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And some of the heads of fathers' houses, when they came to the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place;


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they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' tunics.


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So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.


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And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.


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Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded 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.


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And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of the countries, and they offered burnt- offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt-offerings morning and evening.


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And they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;


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and afterward the continual burnt-offering, and the offerings of the new moons, and of all the appointed seasons of the LORD that were hallowed, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill-offering unto the LORD.


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From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt-offerings unto the LORD; but the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.


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They gave money also unto the hewers, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar-trees from Lebanon to the sea, unto Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.


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Now in the second year of their coming unto 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 brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of the LORD.


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Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, and 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 also, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.


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And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the direction of David king of Israel.


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And they sang one to another in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD: 'for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever toward Israel.' And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.


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But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, the old men that had seen the first house standing on its foundation, wept with a loud voice, when this house was before their eyes; and many shouted aloud for joy;


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so 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.


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Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto the LORD, the God of Israel;


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then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them: 'Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.'


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But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.'


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Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building,


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and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.


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And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue.


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Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort--


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then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites,


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and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River:-- 'And now--


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this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king--thy servants the men beyond the River--and now


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be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations.


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Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.


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Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the king,


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that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers; so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.


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We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.'


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Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the commander, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the River: 'Peace, and now


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And I decreed, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.


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There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.


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Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.


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Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.


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Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel prophesied they unto them.


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Then 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.


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At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, and said thus unto them: 'Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this structure?'


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'Then spoke we unto them after this manner,wrote they: What are the names of the men that build this building?'


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But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, till the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.


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The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his companions the Apharesachites, who were beyond the River, sent unto Darius the king;


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Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.


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Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus: Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?


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We asked them their names also, to announce to thee, that we might write the names of the men that were at the head of them.


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And thus they returned us answer, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and finished.


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But because that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.


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But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God.


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And the gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;


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and he said unto him: Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in its place.


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Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not completed.


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Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let search be made in the king's treasure-house there, which is 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.'


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Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up, in Babylon.


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And there was found at Ahmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written: 'A record.


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In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;


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with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber, and let the expenses be given out of the king's house;


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and also 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 unto Babylon, be restored, and brought back unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to its place, and thou shalt put them in the house of God.'


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'Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharesachites, who are beyond the River, be ye far from thence;


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let 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.


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Moreover I make a decree concerning what ye 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 unto these men, that they be not hindered.


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And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;


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that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.


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Also I have made a decree, that whosoever 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;


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and may the God that hath caused His name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples, that 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.'


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Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, because that Darius the king had thus sent, acted with all diligence.


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And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded 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.


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And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.


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And the 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.


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And they offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.


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And they 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.


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For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure; and they killed the passover lamb for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.


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And the children of Israel, that were come back out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, did eat,


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and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.


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Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,


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this Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.


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And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.


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For upon 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 upon him.


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For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances.


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Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel:


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'Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now


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I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go with thee to Jerusalem, go.


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Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king and his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thy hand;


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and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,


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and all the silver and gold that thou shalt 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;


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therefore thou shalt with all diligence buy with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal-offerings and their drink- offerings, and shalt offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.


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And whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do ye after the will of your God.


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And the vessels that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.


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And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure-house.


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And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers that are beyond the River, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,


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unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.


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Whatsoever 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?


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Also we announce to 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, impost, or toll, upon them.


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And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye him that knoweth them not.


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And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.'


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Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem;


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and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.


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Now these are the heads of their fathers' houses, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.


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Of the sons of Shecaniah: of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males a hundred and fifty.


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And of the sons of Adonikam, that were the last; and these are their names, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah; and with them threescore males.


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And I gathered them together to the river that runneth 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.


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Then 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, teachers.


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And I gave them commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should say unto Iddo and his brother, who were set over the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.


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And according to the good hand of our God upon 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 brethren, eighteen;


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and 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.


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Then 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.


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For 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 unto the king, saying: 'The hand of our God is upon all them that seek Him, for good; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him.'


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Then I separated twelve of the chiefs of the priests, besides Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,


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and weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered;


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I even weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents; of gold a hundred talents;


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and twenty bowels of gold, of a thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.


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And I said unto them: 'Ye are holy unto the LORD, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill-offering unto the LORD, the God of your fathers.


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Watch ye, and keep them, until ye 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 the LORD.'


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So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.


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Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and lier-in-wait by the way.


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And on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels 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 Levites;


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The children of the captivity, that were come out of exile, offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a sin-offering; all this was a burnt-offering unto the LORD.


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And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's satraps, and to the governors beyond the River; and they furthered the people and the house of God.


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Now when these things were done, the princes drew near unto 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.


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For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons; so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands; yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been first in this faithlessness.'


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And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down appalled.


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Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of them of the captivity; and I sat appalled until the evening offering.


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And at the evening offering I arose up from my fasting, even with my garment and my mantle rent; and I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God;


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and I said: 'O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens.


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Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty unto 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 spoiling, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.


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And now for a little moment grace hath been shown from the LORD 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.


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For we are bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto 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 thereof, and to give us a fence in Judah and in Jerusalem.


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which Thou hast commanded by Thy servants the prophets, saying: The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, wherewith they have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness.


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Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.


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And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such a remnant,


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shall we again break Thy commandments, and make marriages with the peoples that do these abominations? wouldest not Thou be angry with us till Thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?


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O LORD, the God of Israel, Thou art righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day; behold, we are before Thee in our guiltiness; for none can stand before Thee because of this.'


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Now while Ezra prayed, and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.


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And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra: 'We have broken faith with our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.


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Now 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 the LORD, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.


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Then 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.


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Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water; for he mourned because of the faithlessness of them of the captivity.


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And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;


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and that whosoever came not within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of the captivity.


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Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto 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.


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And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them: 'Ye have broken faith, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.


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Now therefore make confession unto the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.'


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Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice: 'As thou hast said, so it is for us to do.


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But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.


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Let now our princes of all the congregation stand, and let all them that are in our cities that have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, as touching this matter.'


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Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.


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And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers' houses, after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were separated; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.


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And they were finished with all the men that had married foreign women by the first day of the first month.


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And among the sons of the priests there were found that had married foreign women, namely: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brethren, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.


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And they gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.


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And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah--the same is Kelita--Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.


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And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.


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And of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.


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THE WORDS of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the castle,


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that Hanani, one of my brethren, came out of Judah, he and certain men; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.


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And they said unto me: 'The remnant that 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 thereof are burned with fire.'


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And it came to pass, 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,


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and said: 'I beseech Thee, O LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awful God, that keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments;


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let Thine ear now be attentive, and Thine eyes open, that Thou mayest hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel Thy servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against Thee; yea, I and my father's house have sinned.


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We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which Thou didst command Thy servant Moses.


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Remember, I beseech Thee, the word that Thou didst command Thy servant Moses, saying: If ye deal treacherously, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples;


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but if ye return unto Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though your dispersed were in the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to dwell there.


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Now these are Thy servants and Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great power, and by Thy strong hand.


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O Lord, I beseech Thee, let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant, and to the prayer of Thy servants, who delight to fear Thy name; and prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.' Now I was cupbearer to the king.


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And it came to pass 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 unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.


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And the king said unto me: 'Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.' Then I was very sore afraid.


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And I said unto the king: 'Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?'


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And I said unto the king: 'If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.'


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And the king said unto me, the queen also sitting by him: 'For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?' So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.


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Moreover I said unto 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 till I come unto Judah;


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and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's park, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into.' And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.


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Then 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.


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And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.


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And I 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 beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.


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And I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the dragon's well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.


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Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the king's pool; but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.


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Then went I up in the night in the valley, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned.


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And the rulers knew not whither 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 that did the work.


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Then said I unto them: 'Ye see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire; come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.'


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And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also of the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said: 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for the good work.


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But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said: 'What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?'


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Then answered I them, and said unto them: 'The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.'


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Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Hammeah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananel.


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And the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.


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And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.


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And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; and their nobles put not their necks to the work of their lord.


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And the gate of the old city repaired Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.


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And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, for them that appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the River.


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Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths. And next unto him repaired Hananiah one of the perfumers, and they restored Jerusalem even unto the broad wall.


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And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabneiah.


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Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another portion, and the tower of the furnaces.


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And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.


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The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits of the wall unto the dung gate.


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And the dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth-cherem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.


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And the fountain 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 thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king's garden, even unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.


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After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and unto the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty men.


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After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district.


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After him repaired their brethren, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah.


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And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over against the ascent to the armoury at the Turning.


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After him Baruch the son of Zaccai earnestly repaired another portion, from the Turning unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.


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After 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.


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After 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.


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After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another portion, from the house of Azariah unto the Turning and unto the corner.


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Palal the son of Uzai repaired over against the Turning, and the tower that standeth out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh repaired.--


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Now the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that standeth out.--


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After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, over against the great tower that standeth out, and unto the wall of Ophel.


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After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his own house. And after him repaired Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate.


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After 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.


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After him repaired Malchijah one of the goldsmiths unto the house of the Nethinim, and of the merchants, over against the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the upper chamber of the corner.


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And between the upper chamber of the corner and the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.


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But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.


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And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said: 'What do these feeble Jews? will they restore at will? will they sacrifice? will they make an end this day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?'


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Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said: 'Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.'


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Hear, O our God; for we are despised; and turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up to spoiling in a land of captivity;


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and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee; for they have vexed Thee before the builders.


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


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But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and 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 wroth;


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and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein.


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And Judah 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.'


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And our adversaries said: 'They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.'


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And it came to pass that, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times: 'Ye must return unto us from all places.'


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Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.


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And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people: 'Be not ye afraid of them; remember the Lord, who is great and awful, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses.'


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And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.


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And it came to pass from that time forth, that half of my servants wrought 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.


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They that builded the wall and they that bore burdens laded themselves, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;


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and the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the horn was by me.


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And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people: 'The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another;


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in what place soever ye hear the sound of the horn, resort ye thither unto us; our God will fight for us.'


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So we wrought in the work; and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.


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Likewise at the same time said I unto the people: 'Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labour in the day.'


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So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one that went to the water had his weapon.


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For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'


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Some also there were that said: 'We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses; let us get corn, because of the dearth.'


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There were also that said: 'We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.


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Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and, lo, 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.'


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Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them: 'Ye lend upon pledge, every one to his brother.' And I held a great assembly against them.


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And I said unto them: 'We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that sold themselves unto the heathen; and would ye nevertheless sell your brethren, and should they sell themselves unto us?' Then held they their peace, and found never a word.


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Also I said: 'The thing that ye do is not good; ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?


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And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this exaction.


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Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundred pieces of silver, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.'


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Then said they: 'We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as thou sayest.' Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.


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Also I shook out my lap, and said: 'So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied.' And all the congregation said: 'Amen', and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.


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Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.


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But the former governors that were before me laid burdens upon the people, and took of them for bread and wine above forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants lorded over the people; but so did not I, because of the fear of God.


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Yea, also I set hand to the work of this wall, neither bought we any land; and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.


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Moreover there were at my table of the Jews and the rulers a hundred and fifty men, beside those that came unto us from among the nations that were round about us.


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Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep, also fowls were prepared for me; and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine; yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor, because the service was heavy upon this people.


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Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein--though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates--


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that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying: 'Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.' But they thought to do me mischief.


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And I sent messengers unto them, saying: 'I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?'


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Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;


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wherein was written: 'It is reported among the nations, and Geshem saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou buildest the wall; and thou wouldest be their king, even according to these words.


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And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim of thee 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.'


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Then I sent unto him, saying: 'There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.'


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For they all would have us afraid, saying: 'Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.' But now, strengthen Thou my hands.


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And as for me, I went unto 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 slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.'


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And I said: 'Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.'


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And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; for he pronounced this prophecy against me, whereas Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.


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For 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 taunt me.


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Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have me put in fear.


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And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard thereof, 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 wrought of our God.


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Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.


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For there were many in Judah sworn unto 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 to wife.


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Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.


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Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,


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that 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.


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And I said unto them: 'Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and bar ye them; and let watches be appointed of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.'


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And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of them that came up at the first, and I found written therein:


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These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;


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who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:


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The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.


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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, a hundred thirty and eight.


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The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida;


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the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of Amon.


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And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not tell their fathers' houses, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel:


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And 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.


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And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.


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beside their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven; and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.


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And some from among the heads of fathers' houses gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests' tunics.


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And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pounds of silver.


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And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and threescore and seven priests' tunics.


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So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities. And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in their cities,


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all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.


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And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the congregation, both men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.


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And he 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 that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the Law.


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And Ezra the scribe stood upon 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.


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And Ezra 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.


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And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered: 'Amen, Amen', with the lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and fell down before the LORD with their faces to the ground.


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Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, even the Levites, caused the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place.


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And they read in the book, in the Law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.


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And Nehemiah, who was the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people: 'This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.' For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.


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Then he said unto them: 'Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye grieved; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'


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So the Levites stilled all the people, saying: 'Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.'


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And all 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 unto them.


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And on the second day were gathered together the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the Law.


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And they found written in the Law, how that the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month;


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and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying: 'Go forth unto the mount, and fetch 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.'


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So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon 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.


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And all the congregation of them that were come back out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.


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Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the ordinance.


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Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.


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And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.


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And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the Law of the LORD their God a fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and prostrated themselves before the LORD their God.


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Then stood up upon the platform of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.


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Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said: 'Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting; and let them say: Blessed be Thy glorious Name, that is exalted above all blessing and praise.


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Thou art the LORD, even Thou alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and Thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth Thee.


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Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;


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and foundest his heart faithful before Thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, even to give it unto his seed, and hast performed Thy words; for Thou art righteous;


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and didst show signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for Thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them; and didst get Thee a name, as it is this day.


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And Thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers Thou didst cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.


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Moreover in a pillar of cloud Thou didst lead them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.


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Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spokest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and laws of truth, good statutes and commandments;


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and madest known unto them Thy holy sabbath, and didst command them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by the hand of Moses Thy servant;


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and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and didst command them that they should go in to possess the land which Thou hadst lifted up Thy hand to give them.


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But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to Thy commandments,


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and refused to hearken, neither were mindful of Thy wonders that Thou didst among them; but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage; but Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, and forsookest them not.


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Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said: 'This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;


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yet Thou in Thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud departed not 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 wherein they should go.


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Thou gavest also Thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not Thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.


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Yea, forty years didst Thou sustain them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.


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Moreover Thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples, which Thou didst allot quarter by quarter; so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.


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Their children also didst Thou multiply as the stars of heaven, and didst bring them into the land, concerning which Thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.


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So the children went in and possessed the land, and Thou didst subdue before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.


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And they took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit-trees in abundance; so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and luxuriated in Thy great goodness.


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Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their back, and slew Thy prophets that did forewarn them to turn them back unto Thee, and they wrought great provocations.


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Therefore Thou didst deliver them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them; and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto Thee, Thou heardest from heaven; and according to Thy manifold mercies Thou gavest them saviours who might save them out of the hand of their adversaries.


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But after they had rest, they did evil again before Thee; therefore didst Thou leave them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned, and cried unto Thee, many times didst Thou hear from heaven, and deliver them according to Thy mercies;


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and didst forewarn them, that Thou mightest bring them back unto Thy law; yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto Thy commandments, but sinned against Thine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them, and presented a stubborn shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.


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Yet many years didst Thou extend mercy unto them, and didst forewarn them by Thy spirit through Thy prophets; yet would they not give ear; therefore gavest Thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.


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Nevertheless in Thy manifold mercies Thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for Thou art a gracious and merciful God.


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Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awful God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the travail seem little before Thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all Thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.


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Howbeit Thou art just in all that is come upon us; for Thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly;


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neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept Thy law, nor hearkened unto Thy commandments and Thy testimonies, wherewith Thou didst testify against them.


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For they have not served Thee in their kingdom, and in Thy great goodness that Thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which Thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.


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Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that Thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it.


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And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom Thou hast set over us because of our sins; also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.'


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And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and subscribe it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, set their seal unto it.


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And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinim, and all they that had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one that had knowledge and understanding;


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they cleaved to their brethren, 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 the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes;


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and that we would not give our daughters unto the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;


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and if the peoples of the land bring ware or any victuals 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.


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Also 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;


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for the showbread, and for the continual meal-offering, and for the continual burnt-offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the appointed seasons, 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.


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And we 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 upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law;


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and to bring the first-fruits of our land, and the first-fruits of all fruit of all manner of trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD;


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also the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God;


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and that we should bring the first of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the wine and the oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our land unto the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.


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And the 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 unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure-house.


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For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the heave-offering of the corn, of the wine, and of the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers; and we will not forsake the house of our God.


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And the princes of the people dwelt 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.


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Now these are the chiefs of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem; but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israelites, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants.


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And in Jerusalem dwelt 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;


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and 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.


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And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.


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And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.


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Seraiah 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,


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and their brethren that did the work of the house, eight hundred twenty and 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,


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and his brethren, chiefs of fathers' houses, two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,


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and their brethren, mighty men of valour, a hundred twenty and eight; and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.


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And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;


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and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God;


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and 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 brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.


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Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren, that kept watch at the gates, were a hundred seventy and two.


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And the residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.


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The 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.


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For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a sure ordinance concerning the singers, as every day required.


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And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the people.


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And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kiriath-arba and the towns thereof, and in Dibon and the towns thereof, and in Jekabzeel and the villages thereof;


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Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and the fields thereof, Azekah and the towns thereof. So they encamped from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom.


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And the children of Benjamin from Geba onward, at Michmas and Aijah, and at Beth-el and the towns thereof;


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Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra;


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Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and their brethren in the days of Jeshua.


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Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.


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And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;


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The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded heads of fathers' houses; also the priests, in the reign of Darius the Persian.


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The 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.


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And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward against ward.


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Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the store-houses of the gates.


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These 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.


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And at 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 thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.


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And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the Plain round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites;


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also from Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.


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And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.


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Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession: on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate;


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and 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;


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and his brethren, 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;


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and by the fountain gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.


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And the other company of them that gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad wall;


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and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the gate of the old city and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate; and they stood still in the gate of the guard.


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So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;


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and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;


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and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.


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And they 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.


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And on that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave-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 that took their stations.


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And they kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, and so did the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.


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For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.


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And all 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 hallowed for the Levites; and the Levites hallowed for the sons of Aaron.


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On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God for ever;


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because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them; howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.


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And it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the alien mixture.


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Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied unto Tobiah,


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had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meal-offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the heave-offerings for the priests.


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But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went unto the king, and after certain days asked I leave of the king;


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and 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.


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And it grieved me sore; therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.


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Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers; and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meal- offerings and the frankincense.


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And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.


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Then contended I with the rulers, and said: 'Why is the house of God forsaken?' And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.


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And I 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 office was to distribute unto their brethren.


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Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the wards thereof.


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In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in heaps of corn, and lading asses therewith; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I forewarned them in the day wherein they sold victuals.


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There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought in fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.


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Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them: 'What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?


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Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.'


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And it 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 till 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.


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Then I forewarned them, and said unto them: 'Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you.' From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.


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And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember unto me, O my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Thy mercy.


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and 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.


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And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God: 'Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.


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Did 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 the foreign women cause to sin.


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Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to break faith with our God in marrying foreign women?'


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And one 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.


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Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.


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Thus cleansed I them from everything foreign, and appointed wards for the priests and for the Levites, every one in his work;


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and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.


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NOW IT came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus--this is Ahasuerus who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces--


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that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the castle,


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in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him;


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when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty, many days, even a hundred and fourscore days.


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And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the castle, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;


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there were hangings of white, fine cotton, and blue, bordered with cords of fine linen and purple, upon silver rods and pillars of marble; the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and shell, and onyx marble.


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And they 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.


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And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.


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Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.


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On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,


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to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on.


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But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the chamberlains; therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.


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Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times--for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment;


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and the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat the first in the kingdom:


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'What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, forasmuch as she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?'


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And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: 'Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples, that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.


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For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it will be said: The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.


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And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say the like unto all the king's princes. So will there arise enough contempt and wrath.


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If 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 be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and that the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.


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And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, great though it be, all the wives will give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.'


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for he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and speak according to the language of his people.


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After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was assuaged, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.


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Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him: 'Let there be sought for the king young virgins fair to look on;


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and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the castle, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their ointments be given them;


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and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.' And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.


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There was a certain Jew in Shushan the castle, whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair the son of Shimei the son of Kish, a Benjamite,


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who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.


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And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was of beautiful form and fair to look on; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.


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So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was published, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the castle, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.


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And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her ointments, with her portions, and the seven maidens, who were meet to be given her out of the king's house; and he advanced her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.


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Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell it.


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And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.


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Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women, twelve months--for so were the days of their anointing accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six month with sweet odours, and with other ointments of the women--


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when then the maiden came unto the king, whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.


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In the evening she went, and on the morrow 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 unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.


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Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.


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So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.


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And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.


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Then the king made a great feast unto 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.


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Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him--


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in those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.


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And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name.


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And when 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.


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After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.


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And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed down, and prostrated themselves before Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor prostrated himself before him.


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Then the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai: 'Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?'


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Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.


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And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor prostrated himself before him, then was Haman full of wrath.


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But it seemed contemptible in his eyes to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai; wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.


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In 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.


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And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus: 'There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king's laws; therefore it profiteth not the king to suffer them.


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If 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 that have the charge of the king's business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.'


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And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.


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And the king said unto Haman: 'The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.'


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Then were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the thirteenth day thereof, and there was written, according to all that Haman commanded, unto the king's satraps, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every province according to the writing thereof, 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.


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And letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.


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The copy of the writing, to be given out for a decree in every province, was to be published unto all peoples, that they should be ready against that day.


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The posts went forth in haste by the king's commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the castle; and the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.


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Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent 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;


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and he came even before the king's gate; for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.


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And in every province, whithersoever 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.


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And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly pained; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai; and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he accepted it not.


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Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was.


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So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of the city, which was before the king's gate.


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And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto 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.


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Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her; and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.


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'All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.'


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Then Mordecai bade them to return answer unto Esther: 'Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.


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For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?'


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'Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye 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 unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.'


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Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house; and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of the house.


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And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.


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Then said the king unto her: 'What wilt thou, queen Esther? for whatever thy request, even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be given thee.'


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And Esther said: 'If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.'


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Then the king said: 'Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as Esther hath said.' So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.


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And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine: 'Whatever thy petition, it shall be granted thee; and whatever thy request, even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be performed.'


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if I have found favour 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 to-morrow as the king hath said.'


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Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, Haman was filled with wrath against Mordecai.


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Nevertheless Haman refrained himself, and went home; and he sent and fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife.


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And Haman recounted unto them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and everything as to how the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.


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Haman said moreover: 'Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow also am I invited by her together with the king.


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Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him: 'Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon; then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet.' And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.


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On that night could not the king sleep; and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king.


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And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those that kept the door, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.


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And the king said: 'What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?' Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him: 'There is nothing done for him.'


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And the king said: 'Who is in the court?'--Now Haman was come into the outer court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.--


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And the king's servants said unto him: 'Behold, Haman standeth in the court.' And the king said: 'Let him come in.'


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So Haman came in. And the king said unto him: 'What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour?'--Now Haman said in his heart: 'Whom would the king delight to honour besides myself?'--


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let royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and on whose head a crown royal is set;


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and let the apparel 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 delighteth to honour, 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 delighteth to honour.'


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Then the king said to Haman: 'Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate; let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.'


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Then took Haman the apparel 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 unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.'


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And Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house, mourning and having his head covered.


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And Haman recounted unto Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him: 'If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.'


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While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hastened to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.


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And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine: 'Whatever thy petition, queen Esther, it shall be granted thee; and whatever thy request, even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be performed.'


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Then Esther the queen answered and said: 'If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request;


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for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, for the adversary is not worthy that the king be endamaged.'


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Then spoke the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther the queen: 'Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?'


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And Esther said: 'An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman.' Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.


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And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman remained to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.


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Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon 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.


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Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains that were before the king: 'Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman.' And the king said: 'Hang him thereon.'


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So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath assuaged.


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On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.


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And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.


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


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And she said: 'If it please the king, and if I have found favour 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 that are in all the king's provinces;


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for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?'


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Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew: 'Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.


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Write ye also concerning the Jews, as it liketh 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.'


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Then were the king's scribes called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, even to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.


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And they wrote in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service, bred of the stud;


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that the king had granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, and to slay, and to cause to perish, all the forces of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,


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upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.


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The copy of the writing, to be given out for a decree in every province, was to be published unto all the peoples, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.


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So the posts that rode upon swift steeds that were used in the king's service went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment; and the decree was given out in Shushan the castle.


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And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a rob of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad.


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And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.


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Now 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, in 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 them that hated them;


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the 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 upon all the peoples.


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And all the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and they that did the king's business, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai was fallen upon them.


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For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went forth throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.


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And the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they would unto them that hated them.


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the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews' enemy, slew they; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.


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And the king said unto Esther the queen: 'The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the castle, and the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now whatever thy petition, it shall be granted thee; and whatever thy request further, it shall be done.'


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Then said Esther: 'If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews that are in Shushan to do to-morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.'


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And the king commanded it so to be done; and a decree was given out in Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.


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And the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.


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And the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of them that hated them seventy and five thousand--but on the spoil they laid not their hand--


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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.


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But the Jews that were in Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.


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Therefore do the Jews of the villages, that 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.


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And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,


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to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,


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the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto 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 poor.


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because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast pur, that is, the lot, to discomfit them, and to destroy them;


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but when she came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head; and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.


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Wherefore 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 unto them,


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the Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to the writing thereof, and according to the appointed time thereof, every year;


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and 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 memorial of them perish from their seed.


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Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote down all the acts of power, to confirm this second letter of Purim.


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And he sent letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,


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to 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, the matters of the fastings and their cry.


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And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, how the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?


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For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren; seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his seed.


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THERE was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was whole-hearted and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil.


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His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.


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And his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.


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And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, 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 blasphemed God in their hearts.' Thus did Job continually.


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Now it fell upon a day, that the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.


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And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Whence comest thou?' Then Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'


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And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a whole-hearted and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil?'


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Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are increased in the land.


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And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand.' So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.


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And it fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,


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that there came a messenger unto Job, and said: 'The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them;


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and the Sabeans made a raid, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'


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While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'A fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'


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While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'The Chaldeans set themselves in three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'


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While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;


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And, behold, there came a great wind from across the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'


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Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped;


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And he said; naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.


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Again it fell upon a day, that the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.


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And the LORD said unto Satan: 'From whence comest thou?' And Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'


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And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a whole-hearted and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil? and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou didst move Me against him, to destroy him without cause.'


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And Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.


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But put forth Thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, surely he will blaspheme Thee to Thy face.'


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So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot even unto his crown.


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But he said unto her: 'Thou speakest as one of the impious women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' For all this did not Job sin with his lips.


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Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to bemoan him and to comfort him.


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And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and threw dust upon their heads toward heaven.


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So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto him; for they saw that his grief was very great.


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Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night wherein it was said: 'A man-child is brought forth.'


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Let that day be darkness; let not God inquire after it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.


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Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that maketh black the day terrify it.


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As for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.


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Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning;


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It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes; I heard a still voice:


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How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!


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Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the snare gapeth for their substance.


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Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.


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Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.


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At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.


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For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.


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And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt miss nothing.


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For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof my spirit drinketh up; the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.


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Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would exult in pain, though He spare not; for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.


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To him that is ready to faint kindness is due from his friend, even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.


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When I lie down, I say: 'When shall I arise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.


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As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.


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Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.


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If I have sinned, what do I unto Thee, O Thou watcher of men? Why hast Thou set me as a mark for Thee, so that I am a burden to myself?


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And why dost Thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; and Thou wilt seek me, but I shall not be.


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If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.


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For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out--


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He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.


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Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to Him that contendeth with me.


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If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would I not believe that He would hearken unto my voice--


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Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me; though I be innocent, He shall prove me perverse.


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The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not He, who then is it?


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My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.


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Is it good unto Thee that Thou shouldest oppress, that Thou shouldest despise the work of Thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?


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Although Thou knowest that I shall not be condemned; and there is none that can deliver out of Thy hand?


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Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou hast fashioned me as clay; and wilt Thou bring me into dust again?


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If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head--being filled with ignominy and looking upon mine affliction.


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And if it exalt itself, Thou huntest me as a lion; and again Thou showest Thyself marvellous upon me.


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Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and increasest Thine indignation upon me; host succeeding host against me.


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Wherefore then hast Thou brought me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished, and no eye had seen me!


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A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself; a land of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.


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And that He would tell thee the secrets of wisdom, that sound wisdom is manifold! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.


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Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear;


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And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.


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And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt look about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.


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But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee, and their hope shall be the drooping of the soul.


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But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?


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I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,


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A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.


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The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their hand.


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But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee;


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Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.


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Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.


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He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.


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That Thou shouldest write bitter things against me, and make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.


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Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; Thou drawest Thee a line about the soles of my feet;


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Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;


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For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.


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So man lieth down and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.


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Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!--


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If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come--


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The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man.


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Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.


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His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he regardeth them not.


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The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.


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He wandereth abroad for bread: 'Where is it?' He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.


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Because he hath stretched out his hand against God, and behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty;


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And he hath dwelt in desolate cities, in houses which no man would inhabit, which were ready to become heaps.


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He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their produce bend to the earth.


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He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of His mouth shall he go away.


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I also could speak as ye do; if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you.


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And Thou hast shrivelled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth to my face.


text:
He hath torn me in His wrath, and hated me; He hath gnashed upon me with His teeth; mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.


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They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek scornfully; they gather themselves together against me.


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I was at ease, and He broke me asunder; yea, He hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces; He hath also set me up for His mark.


text:
His archers compass me round about, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.


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If I have said to corruption: 'Thou art my father', to the worm: 'Thou art my mother, and my sister';


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Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?


text:
That wherein he trusteth shall be plucked out of his tent; and he shall be brought to the king of terrors.


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There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his; brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.


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They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am become an alien in their sight.


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Whom I, even I, shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another's. My reins are consumed within me.


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Be ye afraid of the sword; for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.


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I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answereth me.


text:
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found; yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.


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He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly.


text:
That which he laboured for shall he give back, and shall not swallow it down; according to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.


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For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.


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In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits; the hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.


text:
It shall be for the filling of his belly; He shall cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him, and shall cause it to rain upon him into his flesh.


text:
He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall; terrors are upon him.


text:
All darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not blown by man shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tent.


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What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?'--


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How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? that their calamity cometh upon them? that He distributeth pains in His anger?


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'God layeth up his iniquity for his children!'--let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it.


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The clods of the valley are sweet unto him, and all men draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.


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Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?


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If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up--if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,


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Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.


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He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.


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On the left hand, when He doth work, but I cannot behold Him, He turneth Himself to the right hand, but I cannot see Him.


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I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured up the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.


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But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth.


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Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did He cover the thick darkness from my face.


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Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness they go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; the desert yieldeth them bread for their children.


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From out of the populous city men groan, and the soul of the wounded crieth out; yet God imputeth it not for unseemliness.


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These are of them that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.


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The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying: 'No eye shall see me'; and he putteth a covering on his face.


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In the dark they dig through houses; they shut themselves up in the day-time; they know not the light.


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For the shadow of death is to all of them as the morning; for they know the terrors of the shadow of death.


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He is swift upon the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth; he turneth not by the way of the vineyards.


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The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree.


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They are exalted for a little while, and they are gone; yea, they are brought low, they are gathered in as all others, and wither as the tops of the ears of corn.


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Lo, these are but the outskirts of His ways; and how small a whisper is heard of Him! But the thunder of His mighty deeds who can understand?


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My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.


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This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.


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Man setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out to the furthest bound the stones of thick darkness and of the shadow of death.


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He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.


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And unto man He said: 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'


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The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.


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I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.


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But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.


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They are gaunt with want and famine; they gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.


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Upon my right hand rise the brood; they entangle my feet, and they cast up against me their ways of destruction.


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Terrors are turned upon me, they chase mine honour as the wind; and my welfare is passed away as a cloud.


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By the great force of my disease is my garment disfigured; it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.


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Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one's calamity,


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If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands;


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Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb.


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This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above.


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Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door.


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Oh that I had one to hear me!--Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me--and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!


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If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed--


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Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.


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Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram; against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.


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Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.


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And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I held back, and durst not declare you mine opinion.


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Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none that convinced Job, or that answered his words, among you.


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Let me not, I pray you, respect any man's person; neither will I give flattering titles unto any man.


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My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart; and that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.


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In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;


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If there be for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to vouch for a man's uprightness;


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Then He is gracious unto him, and saith: 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.'


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He prayeth unto God, and He is favourable unto him; so that he seeth His face with joy; and He restoreth unto man his righteousness.


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He cometh before men, and saith: 'I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not.'


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Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'


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Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that He should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that He should commit iniquity.


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That respecteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they all are the work of His hands.


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


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Therefore He taketh knowledge of their works; and He overturneth them in the night, so that they are crushed.


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When He giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when He hideth His face, who then can behold Him? whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man, alike;


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Shall His recompense be as thou wilt? For thou loathest it, so that thou must choose, and not I; therefore speak what thou knowest.


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For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.


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That thou inquirest: 'What advantage will it be unto Thee?' And: 'What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?'


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If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against Him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto Him?


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By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.


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And now, is it for nought that He punished in His anger? And hath He not full knowledge of arrogance?


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He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous; but with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.


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Then He declareth unto them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.


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If they hearken and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.


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Yea, He hath allured thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which is set on thy table is full of fatness;


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For beware of wrath, lest thou be led away by thy sufficiency; neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.


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After it a voice roareth; He thundereth with the voice of His majesty; and He stayeth them not when His voice is heard.


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For He saith to the snow: 'Fall thou on the earth'; likewise to the shower of rain, and to the showers of His mighty rain.


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And they are turned round about by His guidance, that they may do whatsoever He commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world:


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And now men see not the light which is bright in the skies; but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.


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The Almighty, whom we cannot find out, is excellent in power, yet to judgment and plenteous justice He doeth no violence.


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Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee? Or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?


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That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?


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Who provideth for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of food?


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Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?


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Wilt thou rely on him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather the corn of thy threshing-floor?


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She is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers; though her labour be in vain, she is without fear;


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He swalloweth the ground with storm and rage; neither believeth he that it is the voice of the horn.


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As oft as he heareth the horn he saith: 'Ha, ha!' and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.


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He is the beginning of the ways of God; He only that made him can make His sword to approach unto him.


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Behold, if a river overflow, he trembleth not; he is confident, though the Jordan rush forth to his mouth.


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Who hath given Me anything beforehand, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Mine.


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Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.


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And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: 'My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath.


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Now therefore, take unto you seven bullocks 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 him will I accept, that I do not unto you aught unseemly; for ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.'


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So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them; and the LORD accepted Job.


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And the LORD changed the fortune of Job, when he prayed for his friends; and the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.


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Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house; and they bemoaned him, and comforted him concerning all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one a ring of gold.


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So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.


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And he called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.


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And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.


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And after this Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.


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BOOK I HAPPY IS the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful.


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And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf doth not wither; and in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper.


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Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.


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The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed:


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Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession.


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Do homage in purity, lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way, when suddenly His wrath is kindled. Happy are all they that take refuge in Him.


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Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God; for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek, Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.


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Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness, Thou who didst set me free when I was in distress; be gracious unto me, and hear my prayer.


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O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be put to shame, in that ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah


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But know that the LORD hath set apart the godly man as His own; the LORD will hear when I call unto Him.


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Many there are that say: 'Oh that we could see some good!' LORD, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.


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O LORD, in the morning shalt Thou hear my voice; in the morning will I order my prayer unto Thee, and will look forward.


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But as for me, in the abundance of Thy lovingkindness will I come into Thy house; I will bow down toward Thy holy temple in the fear of Thee.


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O LORD, lead me in Thy righteousness because of them that lie in wait for me; make Thy way straight before my face.


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For there is no sincerity in their mouth; their inward part is a yawning gulf, their throat is an open sepulchre; they make smooth their tongue.


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Hold them guilty, O God, let them fall by their own counsels; cast them down in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against Thee.


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So shall all those that take refuge in Thee rejoice, they shall ever shout for joy, and Thou shalt shelter them; let them also that love Thy name exult in Thee.


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All mine enemies shall be ashamed and sore affrighted; they shall turn back, they shall be ashamed suddenly.


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Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it, and tread my life down to the earth; yea, let him lay my glory in the dust. Selah


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Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger, lift up Thyself in indignation against mine adversaries; yea, awake for me at the judgment which Thou hast commanded.


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O LORD, who ministerest judgment to the peoples, judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.


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Oh that a full measure of evil might come upon the wicked, and that Thou wouldest establish the righteous; for the righteous God trieth the heart and reins.


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I will give thanks unto the LORD according to His righteousness; and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.


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O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens.


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Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength, because of Thine adversaries; that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.


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When I behold Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast established;


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Yet Thou hast made him but little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.


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Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet:


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For Thou hast maintained my right and my cause; Thou sattest upon the throne as the righteous Judge.


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Thou hast rebuked the nations, Thou hast destroyed the wicked, Thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.


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O thou enemy, the waste places are come to an end for ever; and the cities which thou didst uproot, their very memorial is perished.


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And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.


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Be gracious unto me, O LORD, behold mine affliction at the hands of them that hate me; Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death;


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That I may tell of all Thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion, that I may rejoice in Thy salvation.


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The nations are sunk down in the pit that they made; in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.


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The LORD hath made Himself known, He hath executed judgment, the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah


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Through the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued, they are taken in the devices that they have imagined.


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For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and the covetous vaunteth himself, though he contemn the LORD.


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The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, saith: 'He will not require'; all his thoughts are: 'There is no God.'


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His ways prosper at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.


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He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; in secret places doth he slay the innocent; his eyes are on the watch for the helpless.


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He lieth in wait in a secret place as a lion in his lair, he lieth in wait to catch the poor; he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him up in his net.


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Thou hast seen; for Thou beholdest trouble and vexation, to requite them with Thy hand; unto Thee the helpless committeth himself; Thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.


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Break Thou the arm of the wicked; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness, till none be found.


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LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt direct their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to attend;


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For the Leader. A Psalm of David. In the LORD have I taken refuge; how say ye to my soul: 'Flee thou! to your mountain, ye birds'?


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For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, they have made ready their arrow upon the string, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.


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The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD, His throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men.


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Upon the wicked He will cause to rain coals; fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.


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They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour; with flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.


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'For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise', saith the LORD; 'I will set him in safety at whom they puff.'


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The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a crucible on the earth, refined seven times.


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How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart by day? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?


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For the Leader. A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; they have dealt corruptly, they have done abominably; there is none that doeth good.


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The LORD looked forth from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after God.


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'Shall not all the workers of iniquity know it, who eat up My people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD?'


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Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the LORD turneth the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.


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A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain?


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That hath no slander upon his tongue, nor doeth evil to his fellow, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour;


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In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honoureth them that fear the LORD; he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not;


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He that putteth not out his money on interest, nor taketh a bribe against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.


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Let the idols of them be multiplied that make suit unto another; their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take their names upon my lips.


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For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to the nether-world; neither wilt Thou suffer Thy godly one to see the pit.


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Thou makest me to know the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy, in Thy right hand bliss for evermore.


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A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer from lips without deceit.


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Thou hast tried my heart, Thou hast visited it in the night; Thou hast tested me, and Thou findest not that I had a thought which should not pass my mouth.


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As for me, I call upon Thee, for Thou wilt answer me, O God; incline Thine ear unto me, hear my speech.


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Make passing great Thy mercies, O Thou that savest by Thy right hand from assailants them that take refuge in Thee.


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From men, by Thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life, and whose belly Thou fillest with Thy treasure; who have children in plenty, and leave their abundance to their babes.


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As for me, I shall behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness.


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


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In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God; out of His temple He heard my voice, and my cry came before Him unto His ears.


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Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.


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He made darkness His hiding-place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.


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The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire.


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And the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare, at Thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils.


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He delivered me from mine enemy most strong, and from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.


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Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.


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With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright;


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Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great.


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


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Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people; Thou hast made me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known serve me.


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He delivereth me from mine enemies; yea, Thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.


text:
Great salvation giveth He to His king; and showeth mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.


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Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath He set a tent for the sun,


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Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course.


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His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.


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The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.


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The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.


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The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, they are righteous altogether;


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More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.


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Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins, that they may not have dominion over me; then shall I be faultless, and I shall be clear from great transgression.


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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, O LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer.


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We will shout for joy in thy victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our standards; the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.


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Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the mighty acts of His saving right hand.


text:
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will make mention of the name of the LORD our God.


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Thou shalt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thine anger; the LORD shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.


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For thou shalt make them turn their back, thou shalt make ready with thy bowstrings against the face of them.


text:
'Let him commit himself unto the LORD! let Him rescue him; let Him deliver him, seeing He delighteth in him.'


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For Thou art He that took me out of the womb; Thou madest me trust when I was upon my mother's breasts.


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I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is become like wax; it is melted in mine inmost parts.


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My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my throat; and Thou layest me in the dust of death.


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For dogs have encompassed me; a company of evil-doers have inclosed me; like a lion, they are at my hands and my feet.


text:
'Ye that fear the LORD, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and stand in awe of Him, all ye the seed of Israel.


text:
For He hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor; neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard.'


text:
Let the humble eat and be satisfied; let them praise the LORD that seek after Him; may your heart be quickened for ever!


text:
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the LORD; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.


text:
All the fat ones of the earth shall eat and worship; all they that go down to the dust shall kneel before Him, even he that cannot keep his soul alive.


text:
They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done it.


text:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.


text:
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.


text:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.


text:
A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.


text:
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not taken My name in vain, and hath not sworn deceitfully.


text:
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; that the King of glory may come in.


text:
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors; that the King of glory may come in.


text:
Yea, none that wait for Thee shall be ashamed; they shall be ashamed that deal treacherously without cause.


text:
Guide me in Thy truth, and teach me; for Thou art the God of my salvation; for Thee do I wait all the day.


text:
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Thy mercy remember Thou me, for Thy goodness' sake, O LORD.


text:
A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD, for I have walked in mine integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.


text:
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?


text:
When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.


text:
Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise up against me, even then will I be confident.


text:
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the graciousness of the LORD, and to visit early in His temple.


text:
For He concealeth me in His pavilion in the day of evil; He hideth me in the covert of His tent; He lifteth me up upon a rock.


text:
And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; and I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices with trumpet-sound; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.


text:
Hide not Thy face from me; put not Thy servant away in anger; Thou hast been my help; cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.


text:
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.


text:
A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I call; my Rock, be not Thou deaf unto me; lest, if Thou be silent unto me, I become like them that go down into the pit.


text:
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto Thee, when I lift up my hands toward Thy holy Sanctuary.


text:
Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity; who speak peace with their neighbours, but evil is in their hearts.


text:
Give them according to their deeds, and according to the evil of their endeavours; give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.


text:
Because they give no heed to the works of the LORD, nor to the operation of His hands; He will break them down and not build them up.


text:
The LORD is my strength and my shield, in Him hath my heart trusted, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him.


text:
A Psalm of David. Ascribe unto the LORD, O ye sons of might, ascribe unto the LORD glory and strength.


text:
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thundereth, even the LORD upon many waters.


text:
The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and strippeth the forests bare; and in His temple all say: 'Glory.'


text:
I will extol thee, O LORD, for Thou hast raised me up, and hast not suffered mine enemies to rejoice over me.


text:
O LORD, Thou broughtest up my soul from the nether-world; Thou didst keep me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.


text:
For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for a life-time; weeping may tarry for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.


text:
Thou hadst established, O LORD, in Thy favour my mountain as a stronghold--Thou didst hide Thy face; I was affrighted.


text:
'What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? shall it declare Thy truth?


text:
Thou didst turn for me my mourning into dancing; Thou didst loose my sackcloth, and gird me with gladness;


text:
So that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent; O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever.


text:
Incline Thine ear unto me, deliver me speedily; be Thou to me a rock of refuge, even a fortress of defence, to save me.


text:
I will be glad and rejoice in Thy lovingkindness; for Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast taken cognizance of the troubles of my soul,


text:
Be gracious unto me, O LORD, for I am in distress; mine eye wasteth away with vexation, yea, my soul and my body.


text:
For my life is spent in sorrow, and my years in sighing; my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted away.


text:
Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, yea, unto my neighbours exceedingly, and a dread to mine acquaintance; they that see me without flee from me.


text:
For I have heard the whispering of many, terror on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.


text:
My times are in Thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.


text:
O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, let them be put to silence in the nether-world.


text:
Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take their refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men!


text:
Thou hidest them in the covert of Thy presence from the plottings of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.


text:
As for me, I said in my haste: 'I am cut off from before Thine eyes'; nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto Thee.


text:
O love the LORD, all ye His godly ones; the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily.


text:
I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said: 'I will make confession concerning my transgressions unto the LORD'--and Thou, Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah


text:
For this let every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely, when the great waters overflow, they will not reach unto him.


text:
Thou art my hiding-place; Thou wilt preserve me from the adversary; with songs of deliverance Thou wilt compass me about. Selah


text:
'I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will give counsel, Mine eye being upon thee.'


text:
Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, that they come not near unto thee.


text:
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.


text:
The LORD bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.


text:
The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.


text:
The LORD redeemeth the soul of His servants; and none of them that take refuge in Him shall be desolate.


text:
A Psalm of David. Strive, O LORD, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me.


text:
Draw out also the spear, and the battle-axe, against them that pursue me; say unto my soul: 'I am Thy salvation.'


text:
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and be abashed that devise my hurt.


text:
For without cause have they hid for me the pit, even their net, without cause have they digged for my soul.


text:
Let destruction come upon him unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself; with destruction let him fall therein.


text:
All my bones shall say: 'LORD, who is like unto Thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?'


text:
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting; and my prayer, may it return into mine own bosom.


text:
I went about as though it had been my friend or my brother; I bowed down mournful, as one that mourneth for his mother.


text:
But when I halt they rejoice, and gather themselves together; the abjects gather themselves together against me, and those whom I know not; they tear me, and cease not;


text:
Lord, how long wilt Thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, mine only one from the lions.


text:
Let not them that are wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.


text:
For they speak not peace; but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.


text:
Let them not say in their heart: 'Aha, we have our desire'; let them not say: 'We have swallowed him up.'


text:
Let them be ashamed and abashed together that rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and confusion that magnify themselves against me.


text:
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that delight in my righteousness; yea, let them say continually: 'Magnified be the LORD, who delighteth in the peace of His servant.'


text:
He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.


text:
Thy righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Thy judgments are like the great deep; man and beast Thou preservest, O LORD.


text:
How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God! and the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings.


text:
They are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou makest them drink of the river of Thy pleasures.


text:
O continue Thy lovingkindness unto them that know Thee; and Thy righteousness to the upright in heart.


text:
A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.


text:
Resign thyself unto the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.


text:
And yet a little while, and the wicked is no more; yea, thou shalt look well at his place, and he is not.


text:
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow; to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as are upright in the way;


text:
For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs--they shall pass away in smoke, they shall pass away.


text:
For such as are blessed of Him shall inherit the land; and they that are cursed of Him shall be cut off.


text:
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.


text:
For the LORD loveth justice, and forsaketh not His saints; they are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.


text:
Wait for the LORD, and keep His way, and He will exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.


text:
And the LORD helpeth them, and delivereth them; He delivereth them from the wicked, and saveth them, because they have taken refuge in Him.


text:
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.


text:
My heart fluttereth, my strength faileth me; as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.


text:
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; and they that seek my hurt speak crafty devices, and utter deceits all the day.


text:
They also that repay evil for good are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.


text:
I said: 'I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep a curb upon my mouth, while the wicked is before me.'


text:
'LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; let me know how short-lived I am.


text:
Behold, Thou hast made my days as hand-breadths; and mine age is as nothing before Thee; surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah


text:
Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; surely for vanity they are in turmoil; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.


text:
With rebukes dost Thou chasten man for iniquity, and like a moth Thou makest his beauty to consume away; surely every man is vanity. Selah


text:
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; keep not silence at my tears; for I am a stranger with Thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.


text:
He brought me up also out of the tumultuous pit, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock, He established my goings.


text:
And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.


text:
Happy is the man that hath made the LORD his trust, and hath not turned unto the arrogant, nor unto such as fall away treacherously.


text:
Many things hast Thou done, O LORD my God, even Thy wonderful works, and Thy thoughts toward us; there is none to be compared unto Thee! If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be told.


text:
Sacrifice and meal-offering Thou hast no delight in; mine ears hast Thou opened; burnt-offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required.


text:
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, lo, I did not refrain my lips; O LORD, Thou knowest.


text:
I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation; I have not concealed Thy mercy and Thy truth from the great congregation.


text:
Thou, O LORD, wilt not withhold Thy compassions from me; let Thy mercy and Thy truth continually preserve me.


text:
For innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me.


text:
Let them be ashamed and abashed together that seek after my soul to sweep it away; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that delight in my hurt.


text:
Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; let such as love Thy salvation say continually: 'The LORD be magnified.'


text:
But, as for me, that am poor and needy, the Lord will account it unto me; Thou art my help and my deliverer; O my God, tarry not.


text:
The LORD preserve him, and keep him alive, let him be called happy in the land; and deliver not Thou him unto the greed of his enemies.


text:
And if one come to see me, he speaketh falsehood; his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he speaketh of it.


text:
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.


text:
And as for me, Thou upholdest me because of mine integrity, and settest me before Thy face for ever.


text:
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I passed on with the throng, and led them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday.


text:
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him for the salvation of His countenance.


text:
O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore do I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, and the Hermons, from the hill Mizar.


text:
Deep calleth unto deep at the voice of Thy cataracts; all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over me.


text:
By day the LORD will command His lovingkindness, and in the night His song shall be with me, even a prayer unto the God of my life.


text:
I will say unto God my Rock: 'Why hast Thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning under the oppression of the enemy?'


text:
As with a crushing in my bones, mine adversaries taunt me; while they say unto me all the day: 'Where is Thy God?'


text:
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance, and my God.


text:
Be Thou my judge, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.


text:
For Thou art the God of my strength; why hast Thou cast me off? Why go I mourning under the oppression of the enemy?


text:
O send out Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy mountain, and to Thy dwelling-places.


text:
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God, my exceeding joy; and praise Thee upon the harp, O God, my God.


text:
O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us; a work Thou didst in their days, in the days of old.


text:
Thou with Thy hand didst drive out the nations, and didst plant them in; Thou didst break the peoples, and didst spread them abroad.


text:
For not by their own sword did they get the land in possession, neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou wast favourable unto them.


text:
Through Thee do we push down our adversaries; through Thy name do we tread them under that rise up against us.


text:
All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we been false to Thy covenant.


text:
My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter; I say: 'My work is concerning a king'; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.


text:
Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured upon thy lips; therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.


text:
And in thy majesty prosper, ride on, in behalf of truth and meekness and righteousness; and let thy right hand teach thee tremendous things.


text:
Thine arrows are sharp--the peoples fall under thee-- they sink into the heart of the king's enemies.


text:
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.


text:
Myrrh, and aloes, and cassia are all thy garments; out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad.


text:
'Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;


text:
All glorious is the king's daughter within the palace; her raiment is of chequer work inwrought with gold.


text:
She shall be led unto the king on richly woven stuff; the virgins her companions in her train being brought unto thee.


text:
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations; therefore shall the peoples praise thee for ever and ever.


text:
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, and though the mountains be moved into the heart of the seas;


text:
There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holiest dwelling-place of the Most High.


text:
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.


text:
'Let be, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'


text:
The princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham; for unto God belong the shields of the earth; He is greatly exalted.


text:
Fair in situation, the joy of the whole earth; even mount Zion, the uttermost parts of the north, the city of the great King.


text:
As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God--God establish it for ever. Selah


text:
As is Thy name, O God, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth; Thy right hand is full of righteousness.


text:
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,


text:
For he seeth that wise men die, the fool and the brutish together perish, and leave their wealth to others.


text:
Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.


text:
Like sheep they are appointed for the nether-world; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their form shall be for the nether-world to wear away, that there be no habitation for it.


text:
Though while he lived he blessed his soul: 'Men will praise thee, when thou shalt do well to thyself';


text:
A Psalm of Asaph. God, God, the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.


text:
Our God cometh, and doth not keep silence; a fire devoureth before Him, and round about Him it stormeth mightily.


text:
'Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: God, thy God, am I.


text:
But unto the wicked God saith: 'What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, and that thou hast taken My covenant in thy mouth?


text:
These things hast thou done, and should I have kept silence? Thou hadst thought that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set the cause before thine eyes.


text:
Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving honoureth Me; and to him that ordereth his way aright will I show the salvation of God.'


text:
Be gracious unto me, O God, according to Thy mercy; according to the multitude of Thy compassions blot out my transgressions.


text:
Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Thy sight; that Thou mayest be justified when Thou speakest, and be in the right when Thou judgest.


text:
Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts; make me, therefore, to know wisdom in mine inmost heart.


text:
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; so shall my tongue sing aloud of Thy righteousness.


text:
For Thou delightest not in sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.


text:
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.


text:
Then wilt Thou delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt-offering and whole offering; then will they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.


text:
God will likewise break thee for ever, He will take thee up, and pluck thee out of thy tent, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah


text:
'Lo, this is the man that made not God his stronghold; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.'


text:
But as for me, I am like a leafy olive-tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.


text:
I will give Thee thanks for ever, because Thou hast done it; and I will wait for Thy name, for it is good, in the presence of Thy saints.


text:
The fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; they have dealt corruptly, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none that doeth good.


text:
God looked forth from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after God.


text:
Every one of them is unclean, they are together become impure; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.


text:
'Shall not the workers of iniquity know it, who eat up My people as they eat bread, and call not upon God?'


text:
There are they in great fear, where no fear was; for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee; Thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them.


text:
Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God turneth the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.


text:
For strangers are risen up against me, and violent men have sought after my soul; they have not set God before them. Selah


text:
With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto Thee; I will give thanks unto Thy name, O LORD, for it is good.


text:
Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast mischief upon me, and in anger they persecute me.


text:
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.


text:
For it was not an enemy that taunted me, then I could have borne it; neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me, then I would have hid myself from him.


text:
May He incite death against them, let them go down alive into the nether-world; for evil is in their dwelling, and within them.


text:
He hath redeemed my soul in peace so that none came nigh me; for they were many that strove with me.


text:
God shall hear, and humble them, even He that is enthroned of old, Selah, such as have no changes, and fear not God.


text:
He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.


text:
Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet were they keen-edged swords.


text:
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.


text:
But Thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the nethermost pit; men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days; but as for me, I will trust in Thee.


text:
They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up all the day; for they are many that fight against me, O Most High,


text:
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps; according as they have waited for my soul.


text:
For thou hast delivered my soul from death; hast Thou not delivered my feet from stumbling? that I may walk before God in the light of the living.


text:
Be gracious unto me, O God, be gracious unto me, for in Thee hath my soul taken refuge; yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I take refuge, until calamities be overpast.


text:
He will send from heaven, and save me, when he that would swallow me up taunteth; Selah; God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.


text:
My soul is among lions, I do lie down among them that are aflame; even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.


text:
They have prepared a net for my steps, my soul is bowed down; they have digged a pit before me, they are fallen into the midst thereof themselves. Selah


text:
I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises unto Thee among the nations.


text:
Let them melt away as water that runneth apace; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.


text:
Let them be as a snail which melteth and passeth away; like the untimely births of a woman, that have not seen the sun.


text:
Before your pots can feel the thorns, He will sweep it away with a whirlwind, the raw and the burning alike.


text:
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.


text:
And men shall say: 'Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.'


text:
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the impudent gather themselves together against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.


text:
Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, arouse Thyself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to any iniquitous traitors. Selah


text:
Slay them not, lest my people forget, make them wander to and fro by Thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield.


text:
For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for cursing and lying which they speak.


text:
Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they be no more; and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, unto the ends of the earth. Selah


text:
But as for me, I will sing of Thy strength; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning; for Thou hast been my high tower, and a refuge in the day of my distress.


text:
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah


text:
God spoke in His holiness, that I would exult; that I would divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.


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From the end of the earth will I call unto Thee, when my heart fainteth; lead me to a rock that is too high for me.


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How long will ye set upon a man, that ye may slay him, all of you, as a leaning wall, a tottering fence?


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They only devise to thrust him down from his height, delighting in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah


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Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; if they be laid in the balances, they are together lighter than vanity.


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Trust not in oppression, and put not vain hope in robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart thereon.


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O God, Thou art my God, earnestly will I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee, in a dry and weary land, where no water is.


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But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by Him shall glory; for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.


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They encourage one another in an evil matter; they converse of laying snares secretly; they ask, who would see them.


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They search out iniquities, they have accomplished a diligent search; even in the inward thought of every one, and the deep heart.


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The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.


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Happy is the man whom Thou choosest, and bringest near, that he may dwell in Thy courts; may we be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, the holy place of Thy temple!


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With wondrous works dost Thou answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation; Thou the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far distant seas;


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So that they that dwell in the uttermost parts stand in awe of Thy signs; Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.


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Thou hast remembered the earth, and watered her, greatly enriching her, with the river of God that is full of water; Thou preparest them corn, for so preparest Thou her.


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Watering her ridges abundantly, settling down the furrows thereof, Thou makest her soft with showers; Thou blessest the growth thereof.


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The meadows are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, yea, they sing.


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Say unto God: 'How tremendous is Thy work! Through the greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies dwindle away before Thee.


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All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing praises unto Thee; they shall sing praises to Thy name.' Selah


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Who ruleth by His might for ever; His eyes keep watch upon the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah


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Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but Thou didst bring us out unto abundance.


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I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah


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O let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for Thou wilt judge the peoples with equity, and lead the nations upon earth. Selah


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As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.


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Sing unto God, sing praises to His name; extol Him that rideth upon the skies, whose name is the LORD; and exult ye before Him.


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God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; the rebellious dwell but in a parched land.


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O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah


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The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.


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A bounteous rain didst Thou pour down, O God; when Thine inheritance was weary, Thou didst confirm it.


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When ye lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her pinions with the shimmer of gold.


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Why look ye askance, ye mountains of peaks, at the mountain which God hath desired for His abode? Yea, the LORD will dwell therein for ever.


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The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in holiness.


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Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts among men, yea, among the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.


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Surely God will smite through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth about in his guiltiness.


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That thy foot may wade through blood, that the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies.'


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There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah their council, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.


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Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, every one submitting himself with pieces of silver; He hath scattered the peoples that delight in war!


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To Him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which are of old; lo, He uttereth His voice, a mighty voice.


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Awful is God out of thy holy places; the God of Israel, He giveth strength and power unto the people; blessed be God.


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I am sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, and the flood overwhelmeth me.


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They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are many; should I restore that which I took not away?


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Let not them that wait for Thee be ashamed through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those that seek Thee be brought to confusion through me, O God of Israel.


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Because zeal for Thy house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproach Thee are fallen upon me.


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But as for me, let my prayer be unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time; O God, in the abundance of Thy mercy, answer me with the truth of Thy salvation.


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Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.


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Let not the waterflood overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.


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Answer me, O LORD, for Thy mercy is good; according to the multitude of Thy compassions turn Thou unto me.


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Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am sore sick; and I looked for some to show compassion, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.


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For they persecute him whom Thou hast smitten; and they tell of the pain of those whom Thou hast wounded.


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For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah; and they shall abide there, and have it in possession.


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For the Leader. A Psalm of David; to make memorial. O God, to deliver me, O LORD, to help me, make haste.


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Let them be ashamed and abashed that seek after my soul; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that delight in my hurt.


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Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; and let such as love Thy salvation say continually: 'Let God be magnified.'


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But I am poor and needy; O God, make haste unto me; Thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, tarry not.


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Be Thou to me a sheltering rock, whereunto I may continually resort, which Thou hast appointed to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress.


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O my God, rescue me out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the unrighteous and ruthless man.


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Upon Thee have I stayed myself from birth; Thou art He that took me out of my mother's womb; my praise is continually of Thee.


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Let them be ashamed and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and confusion that seek my hurt.


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My mouth shall tell of Thy righteousness, and of Thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.


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I will come with Thy mighty acts, O Lord GOD; I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only.


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And even unto old age and hoary hairs, O God, forsake me not; until I have declared Thy strength unto the next generation, Thy might to every one that is to come.


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Thy righteousness also, O God, which reacheth unto high heaven; Thou who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto Thee?


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Thou, who hast made me to see many and sore troubles, wilt quicken me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth.


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I also will give thanks unto Thee with the psaltery, even unto Thy truth, O my God; I will sing praises unto Thee with the harp, O Thou Holy One of Israel.


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My tongue also shall tell of Thy righteousness all the day; for they are ashamed, for they are abashed, that seek my hurt.


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The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.


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He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence, and precious will their blood be in his sight;


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That they may live, and that he may give them of the gold of Sheba, that they may pray for him continually, yea, bless him all the day.


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May he be as a rich cornfield in the land upon the top of the mountains; may his fruit rustle like Lebanon; and may they blossom out of the city like grass of the earth.


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May his name endure for ever; may his name be continued as long as the sun; may men also bless themselves by him; may all nations call him happy.


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And blessed be His glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.


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As a dream when one awaketh, so, O Lord, when Thou arousest Thyself, Thou wilt despise their semblance.


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For, lo, they that go far from Thee shall perish; Thou dost destroy all them that go astray from Thee.


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But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works.


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Maschil of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast us off for ever? Why doth Thine anger smoke against the flock of Thy pasture?


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Remember Thy congregation, which Thou hast gotten of old, which Thou hast redeemed to be the tribe of Thine inheritance; and mount Zion, wherein Thou hast dwelt.


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Lift up Thy steps because of the perpetual ruins, even all the evil that the enemy hath done in the sanctuary.


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Thine adversaries have roared in the midst of Thy meeting-place; they have set up their own signs for signs.


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They have set Thy sanctuary on fire; they have profaned the dwelling-place of Thy name even to the ground.


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They said in their heart: 'Let us make havoc of them altogether'; they have burned up all the meeting-places of God in the land.


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We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet; neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.


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Thou didst break the sea in pieces by Thy strength; Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea-monsters in the waters.


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Thou didst crush the heads of leviathan, Thou gavest him to be food to the folk inhabiting the wilderness.


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Remember this, how the enemy hath reproached the LORD, and how a base people have blasphemed Thy name.


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O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of Thy poor for ever.


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Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, the tumult of those that rise up against Thee which ascendeth continually.


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We give thanks unto Thee, O God, we give thanks, and Thy name is near; men tell of Thy wondrous works.


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When the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, I Myself establish the pillars of it.' Selah


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For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, with foaming wine, full of mixture, and He poureth out of the same; surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them, and drink them.


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The stout-hearted are bereft of sense, they sleep their sleep; and none of the men of might have found their hands.


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Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God; let all that are round about Him bring presents unto Him that is to be feared;


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I will lift up my voice unto God, and cry; I will lift up my voice unto God, that He may give ear unto me.


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In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; with my hand uplifted, mine eye streameth in the night without ceasing; my soul refuseth to be comforted.


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In the night I will call to remembrance my song; I will commune with mine own heart; and my spirit maketh diligent search:


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The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.


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Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.


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We will not hide from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wondrous works that He hath done.


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For 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;


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That the generation to come might know them, even the children that should be born; who should arise and tell them to their children,


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That they might put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;


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And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.


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Behold, He smote the rock, that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; can He give bread also? or will He provide flesh for His people?'


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Therefore the LORD heard, and was wroth; and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel;


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When the anger of God went up against them, and slew of the lustieth among them, and smote down the young men of Israel.


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But He, being full of compassion, forgiveth iniquity, and destroyeth not; yea, many a time doth He turn His anger away, and doth not stir up all His wrath.


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He sent forth upon them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, a sending of messengers of evil.


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He levelled a path for His anger; He spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;


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He drove out the nations also before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.


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But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.


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From following the ewes that give suck He brought him, to be shepherd over Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance.


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So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart; and lead them by the skilfulness of his hands.


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A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; they have defiled Thy holy temple; they have made Jerusalem into heaps.


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They have given the dead bodies of Thy servants to be food unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.


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Pour out Thy wrath upon the nations that know Thee not, and upon the kingdoms that call not upon Thy name.


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Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let Thy compassions speedily come to meet us; for we are brought very low.


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Help us, O God of our salvation, for the sake of the glory of Thy name; and deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Thy name's sake.


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Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is their God?' Let the avenging of Thy servants' blood that is shed be made known among the nations in our sight.


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Let the groaning of the prisoner come before Thee; according to the greatness of Thy power set free those that are appointed to death;


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And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached Thee, O Lord.


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So we that are Thy people and the flock of Thy pasture will give Thee thanks for ever; we will tell of Thy praise to all generations.


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Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that art enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.


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And of the stock which Thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that Thou madest strong for Thyself.


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Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, upon the son of man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself.


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For the Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.


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He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:


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Thou didst call in trouble, and I rescued thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah


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I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.


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They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'


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They know not, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are moved.


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They have said: 'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.'


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My soul yearneth, yea, even pineth for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God.


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Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young; Thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God--.


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Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; yea, the early rain clotheth it with blessings.


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For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand; I had rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.


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For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD giveth grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.


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I will hear what God the LORD will speak; for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly.


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For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to pardon, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee.


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All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and prostrate themselves before Thee, O Lord; and they shall glorify Thy name.


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O God, the proud are risen up against me, and the company of violent men have sought after my soul, and have not set Thee before them.


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But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy and truth.


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O turn unto me, and be gracious unto me; give Thy strength unto Thy servant, and save the son of Thy handmaid.


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Work in my behalf a sign for good; that they that hate me may see it, and be put to shame, because Thou, LORD, hast helped me, and comforted me.


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'I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know Me; behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this one was born there.'


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But of Zion it shall be said: 'This man and that was born in her; and the Most High Himself doth establish her.'


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Set apart among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom Thou rememberest no more; and they are cut off from Thy hand.


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Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them; I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.


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Mine eye languisheth by reason of affliction; I have called upon Thee, O LORD, every day, I have spread forth my hands unto Thee.


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I am afflicted and at the point of death from my youth up; I have borne Thy terrors, I am distracted.


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I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever; to all generations will I make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth.


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For I have said: 'For ever is mercy built; in the very heavens Thou dost establish Thy faithfulness.


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So shall the heavens praise Thy wonders, O LORD, Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.


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For who in the skies can be compared unto the LORD, who among the sons of might can be likened unto the LORD,


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O LORD God of hosts, who is a mighty one, like unto Thee, O LORD? And Thy faithfulness is round about Thee.


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Thou didst crush Rahab, as one that is slain; Thou didst scatter Thine enemies with the arm of Thy strength.


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Thine are the heavens, Thine also the earth; the world and the fulness thereof, Thou hast founded them.


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Then Thou spokest in vision to Thy godly ones, and saidst: 'I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.


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What man is he that liveth and shall not see death, that shall deliver his soul from the power of the grave? Selah


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Wherewith Thine enemies have taunted, O LORD, wherewith they have taunted the footsteps of Thine anointed.


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BOOK IV A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.


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Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.


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For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.


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Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep; in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.


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The days of our years are threescore years and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore years; yet is their pride but travail and vanity; for it is speedily gone, and we fly away.


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Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, according to the years wherein we have seen evil.


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And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; establish Thou also upon us the work of our hands; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.


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He will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge; His truth is a shield and a buckler.


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Thou shalt tread upon the lion and asp; the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet.


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'Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.


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He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and bring him to honour.


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When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed for ever.


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For, lo, Thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, Thine enemies shall perish: all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.


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Mine eye also hath gazed on them that lie in wait for me, mine ears have heard my desire of the evil-doers that rise up against me.


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The LORD reigneth; He is clothed in majesty; the LORD is clothed, He hath girded Himself with strength; yea, the world is established, that it cannot be moved.


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The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.


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Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?


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And He hath brought upon them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own evil; the LORD our God will cut them off.


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For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the flock of His hand. To-day, if ye would but hearken to His voice!


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For forty years was I wearied with that generation, and said: It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My ways;


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Say among the nations: 'The LORD reigneth.' The world also is established that it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.


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Before the LORD, for He is come; for He is come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.


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Clouds and darkness are round about Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.


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The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.


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Ashamed be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of things of nought; bow down to Him, all ye gods.


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O ye that love the LORD, hate evil; He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivered them out of the hand of the wicked.


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A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things; His right hand, and His holy arm, hath wrought salvation for Him.


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The LORD hath made known His salvation; His righteousness hath He revealed in the sight of the nations.


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He hath remembered His mercy and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.


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Before the LORD, for He is come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.


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The strength also of the king who loveth justice--Thou hast established equity, Thou hast executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.


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Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name, did call upon the LORD, and He answered them.


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He spoke unto them in the pillar of cloud; they kept His testimonies, and the statute that He gave them.


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O LORD our God, Thou didst answer them; a forgiving God wast Thou unto them, though Thou tookest vengeance of their misdeeds.


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Know ye that the LORD He is God; it is He that hath made us, and we our His, His people, and the flock of His pasture.


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Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; give thanks unto Him, and bless His name.


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I will give heed unto the way of integrity; Oh when wilt Thou come unto me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.


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I will set no base thing before mine eyes; I hate the doing of things crooked; it shall not cleave unto me.


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Whoso slandereth his neighbour in secret, him will I destroy; whoso is haughty of eye and proud of heart, him will I not suffer.


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Mine eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a way of integrity, he shall minister unto me.


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He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house; he that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes.


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Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land; to cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the LORD.


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Hide not Thy face from me in the day of my distress; incline Thine ear unto me; in the day when I call answer me speedily.


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Thou wilt arise, and have compassion upon Zion; for it is time to be gracious unto her, for the appointed time is come.


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This shall be written for the generation to come; and a people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.


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For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;


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I say: 'O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days, Thou whose years endure throughout all generations.


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They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall pass away;


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The children of Thy servants shall dwell securely, and their seed shall be established before Thee.'


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Like as a father hath compassion upon his children, so hath the LORD compassion upon them that fear Him.


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But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children;


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Bless the LORD, ye angels of His, ye mighty in strength, that fulfil His word, hearkening unto the voice of His word.


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Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with glory and majesty.


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Who layest the beams of Thine upper chambers in the waters, who makest the clouds Thy chariot, who walkest upon the wings of the wind;


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Thou didst set a bound which they should not pass over, that they might not return to cover the earth.


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Who causeth the grass to spring up for the cattle, and herb for the service of man; to bring forth bread out of the earth,


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And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, making the face brighter than oil, and bread that stayeth man's heart.


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How manifold are Thy works, O LORD! In wisdom hast Thou made them all; the earth is full of Thy creatures.


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Yonder sea, great and wide, therein are creeping things innumerable, living creatures, both small and great.


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Thou hidest Thy face, they vanish; Thou withdrawest their breath, they perish, and return to their dust.


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Let sinners cease out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah.


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That I may behold the prosperity of Thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory with Thine inheritance.


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Our fathers in Egypt gave no heed unto Thy wonders; they remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies; but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.


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And He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up; and He led them through the depths, as through a wilderness.


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And He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.


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Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His wrath, lest He should destroy them.


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And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood.


text:
Many times did He deliver them; but they were rebellious in their counsel, and sank low through their iniquity.


text:
Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks unto Thy holy name, that we may triumph in Thy praise.


text:
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting, and let all the people say: 'Amen.' Hallelujah.


text:
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea.


text:
Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!


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They mounted up to the heaven, they went down to the deeps; their soul melted away because of trouble;


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He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.


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I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the peoples; and I will sing praises unto Thee among the nations.


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For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me; they have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.


text:
Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; neither let there be any to be gracious unto his fatherless children.


text:
Let the iniquity of his fathers be brought to remembrance unto the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.


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Because that he remembered not to do kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, and the broken in heart he was ready to slay.


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Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it is far from him.


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He clothed himself also with cursing as with his raiment, and it is come into his inward parts like water, and like oil into his bones.


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Let it be unto him as the garment which he putteth on, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.'


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But Thou, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Thy name's sake; because Thy mercy is good, deliver Thou me.


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Let them curse, but bless Thou; when they arise, they shall be put to shame, but Thy servant shall rejoice.


text:
A Psalm of David. The LORD saith unto my lord: 'Sit thou at My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.'


text:
Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy warfare; in adornments of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, thine is the dew of thy youth.


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The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent: 'Thou art a priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedek.'


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He will judge among the nations; He filleth it with dead bodies, He crusheth the head over a wide land.


text:
Hallelujah. I will give thanks unto the LORD with my whole heart, in the council of the upright, and in the congregation.


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He hath sent redemption unto His people; He hath commanded His covenant for ever; Holy and awful is His name.


text:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; His praise endureth for ever.


text:
Unto the upright He shineth as a light in the darkness, gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.


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He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted in honour.


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The wicked shall see it, and be vexed; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish.


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Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake.


text:
They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they with their throat.


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The LORD hath been mindful of us, He will bless--He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.


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The cords of death compassed me, and the straits of the nether-world got hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow.


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I beseech Thee, O LORD, for I am Thy servant; I am Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid; Thou hast loosed my bands.


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They compass me about, yea, they compass me about; verily, in the name of the LORD I will cut them off.


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They compass me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns; verily, in the name of the LORD I will cut them off.


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The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.


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The LORD is God, and hath given us light; order the festival procession with boughs, even unto the horns of the altar.


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BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man keep his way pure? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.


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I will lift up my hands also unto Thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in Thy statutes.


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JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments.


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Let, I pray Thee, Thy lovingkindness be ready to comfort me, according to Thy promise unto Thy servant.


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Let the proud be put to shame, for they have distorted my cause with falsehood; but I will meditate in Thy precepts.


text:
A Song of Ascents; of David. I rejoiced when they said unto me: 'Let us go unto the house of the LORD.'


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Whither the tribes went up, even the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony unto Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.


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Behold, as the eyes of servants unto the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look unto the LORD our God, until He be gracious unto us.


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Our soul is full sated with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud oppressors.


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Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped.


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A Song of Ascents. They that trust in the LORD are as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever.


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As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about His people, from this time forth and for ever.


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For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; that the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.


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But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.


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A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream.


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Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; then said they among the nations: 'The LORD hath done great things with these.'


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Though he goeth on his way weeping that beareth the measure of seed, he shall come home with joy, bearing his sheaves.


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A Song of Ascents; of Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.


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It is vain for you that ye rise early, and sit up late, ye that eat the bread of toil; so He giveth unto His beloved in sleep.


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Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be put to shame, when they speak with their enemies in the gate.


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Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of thy house; thy children like olive plants, round about thy table.


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Neither do they that go by say: 'The blessing of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.'


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My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning; yea, more than watchmen for the morning.


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A Song of Ascents; of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in things too great, or in things too wonderful for me.


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Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother; my soul is with me like a weaned child.


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The LORD swore unto David in truth; He will not turn back from it: 'Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.


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If thy children keep My covenant and My testimony that I shall teach them, their children also for ever shall sit upon thy throne.'


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A Song of Ascents; of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!


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It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard; even Aaron's beard, that cometh down upon the collar of his garments;


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Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for ever.


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A Song of Ascents. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, that stand in the house of the LORD in the night seasons.


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Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that hath He done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;


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Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings for the rain; He bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries.


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For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, and our tormentors asked of us mirth: 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'


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Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.


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Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said: 'Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.'


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O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that repayeth thee as thou hast served us.


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A Psalm of David. I will give Thee thanks with my whole heart, in the presence of the mighty will I sing praises unto Thee.


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I will bow down toward Thy holy temple, and give thanks unto Thy name for Thy mercy and for Thy truth; for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.


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All the kings of the earth shall give Thee thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of Thy mouth.


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Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou quickenest me; Thou stretchest forth Thy hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand doth save me.


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The LORD will accomplish that which concerneth me; Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; forsake not the work of Thine own hands.


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If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in the nether-world, behold, Thou art there.


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Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light.


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I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.


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My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.


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Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written--even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.


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If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand; were I to come to the end of them, I would still be with Thee.


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Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? And do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee?


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Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to make my steps slip.


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The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah


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Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; further not his evil device, so that they exalt themselves. Selah


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Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, into deep pits, that they rise not up again.


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A slanderer shall not be established in the earth; the violent and evil man shall be hunted with thrust upon thrust.


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A Psalm of David. LORD, I have called Thee; make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I call unto Thee.


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Let my prayer be set forth as incense before Thee, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.


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Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to be occupied in deeds of wickedness with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.


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Let the righteous smite me in kindness, and correct me; oil so choice let not my head refuse; for still is my prayer because of their wickedness.


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Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock; and they shall hear my words, that they are sweet.


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When my spirit fainteth within me--Thou knowest my path--in the way wherein I walk have they hidden a snare for me.


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Look on my right hand, and see, for there is no man that knoweth me; I have no way to flee; no man careth for my soul.


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I have cried unto Thee, O LORD; I have said: 'Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.'


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Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me.


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Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto Thy name; the righteous shall crown themselves because of me; for Thou wilt deal bountifully with me.


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A Psalm of David. O LORD, hear my prayer, give ear to my supplications; in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy righteousness.


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For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath crushed my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.


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Answer me speedily, O LORD, my spirit faileth; hide not Thy face from me; lest I become like them that go down into the pit.


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Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for unto Thee have I lifted up my soul.


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And in Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that harass my soul; for I am Thy servant.


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A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who traineth my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;


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My lovingkindness, and my fortress, my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I take refuge; who subdueth my people under me.


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LORD, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him? or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him?


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Stretch forth Thy hands from on high; rescue me, and deliver me out of many waters, out of the hand of strangers;


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O God, I will sing a new song unto Thee, upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto Thee;


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Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of strangers, whose mouth speaketh falsehood, and their right hand is a right hand of lying.


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We whose sons are as plants grown up in their youth; whose daughters are as corner-pillars carved after the fashion of a palace;


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Whose garners are full, affording all manner of store; whose sheep increase by thousands and ten thousands in our fields;


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A Psalm of praise; of David. I will extol Thee, my God, O King; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.


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My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and ever.


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Who executeth justice for the oppressed; who giveth bread to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners;


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The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind; the LORD raiseth up them that are bowed down; the LORD loveth the righteous;


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The LORD preserveth the strangers; He upholdeth the fatherless and the widow; but the way of the wicked He maketh crooked.


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Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh the mountains to spring with grass.


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He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for His ordinances, they have not known them. Hallelujah.


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He hath also established them for ever and ever; He hath made a decree which shall not be transgressed.


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Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.


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And He hath lifted up a horn for His people, a praise for all His saints, even for the children of Israel, a people near unto Him. Hallelujah.


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That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;


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If they say: 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause;


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She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:


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'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?


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Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.


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When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when trouble and distress come upon you.


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Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me.


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For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them.


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Let not kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the table of thy heart;


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For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.


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She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.


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When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.


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Say not unto thy neighbour: 'Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give'; when thou hast it by thee.


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The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of the righteous.


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And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;


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For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.


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But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.


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Neither have I hearkened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!


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A lovely hind and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; with her love be thou ravished always.


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Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour; go, humble thyself, and urge thy neighbour.


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Deliver thyself as a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.


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Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; on a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.


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When thou walkest, it shall lead thee, when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.


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For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life;


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For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread, but the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.


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He that committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he doeth it that would destroy his own soul.


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And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,


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With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away.


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He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;


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Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare--and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.


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The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.


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When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not transgress His commandment, when He appointed the foundations of the earth;


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Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.


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'Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither'; as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:


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He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame, and he that reproveth a wicked man, it becometh unto him a blot.


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Give to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.


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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the All-holy is understanding.


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'Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither'; and as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:


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But he knoweth not that the shades are there; that her guests are in the depths of the nether-world.


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The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.


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The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; but He thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.


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In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found; but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.


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The integrity of the upright shall guide them; but the perverseness of the faithless shall destroy them.


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The righteousness of the sincere shall make straight his way; but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.


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The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them; but the faithless shall be trapped in their own crafty device.


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With his mouth the impious man destroyeth his neighbour; but through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.


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When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth; and when the wicked perish, there is joy.


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He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter.


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He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; but he that hateth them that strike hands is secure.


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They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD; but such as are upright in their way are His delight.


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There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth only to want.


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The beneficent soul shall be made rich, and he that satisfieth abundantly shall be satisfied also himself.


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He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.


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He that diligently seeketh good seeketh favour; but he that searcheth for evil, it shall come unto him.


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He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind; and the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.


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A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that doeth shamefully is as rottenness in his bones.


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The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood; but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.


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A man shall be commended according to his intelligence; but he that is of a distorted understanding shall be despised.


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Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, than he that playeth the man of rank, and lacketh bread.


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He that tilleth his ground shall have plenty of bread; but he that followeth after vain things is void of understanding.


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In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man; but the righteous cometh out of trouble.


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A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the doings of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.


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He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; but for him that openeth wide his lips there shall be ruin.


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The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be abundantly gratified.


text:
There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth.


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Whoso despiseth the word shall suffer thereby; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.


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Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction; but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.


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The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; and it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.


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A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.


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He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD; but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth Him.


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The dissembler in heart shall have his fill from his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.


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In the fear of the LORD a man hath strong confidence; and his children shall have a place of refuge.


text:
In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the want of people is the ruin of the prince.


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He that oppresseth the poor blasphemeth his Maker; but he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him.


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The wicked is thrust down in his misfortune; but the righteous, even when he is brought to death, hath hope.


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In the heart of him that hath discernment wisdom resteth; but in the inward part of fools it maketh itself known.


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The king's favour is toward a servant that dealeth wisely; but his wrath striketh him that dealeth shamefully.


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The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD; but the prayer of the upright is His delight.


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The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD; but He loveth him that followeth after righteousness.


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The nether-world and Destruction are before the LORD; how much more then the hearts of the children of men!


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For want of counsel purposes are frustrated; but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.


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He that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul; but he that hearkeneth to reproof getteth understanding.


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Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; my hand upon it! he shall not be unpunished.


text:
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.


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The wise in heart is called a man of discernment; and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.


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He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things; he that biteth his lips bringeth evil to pass.


text:
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.


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A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that dealeth shamefully, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.


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Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker; and he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.


text:
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.


text:
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend.


text:
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.


text:
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are an abomination to the LORD.


text:
A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.


text:
He that spareth his words hath knowledge; and he that husbandeth his spirit is a man of discernment.


text:
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding.


text:
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.


text:
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.


text:
A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; with the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.


text:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that indulge it shall eat the fruit thereof.


text:
There are friends that one hath to his own hurt; but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.


text:
Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that is perverse in his lips and a fool at the same time.


text:
Many will entreat the favour of the liberal man; and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.


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All the brethren of the poor do hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He that pursueth words, they turn against him.


text:
It is the discretion of a man to be slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.


text:
A foolish son is the calamity of his father; and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.


text:
The fear of the LORD tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied, he shall not be visited with evil.


text:
When thou smitest a scorner, the simple will become prudent; and when one that hath understanding is reproved, he will understand knowledge.


text:
The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger forfeiteth his life.


text:
The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.


text:
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.


text:
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.


text:
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever He will.


text:
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but every one that is hasty hasteth only to want.


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The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vapour driven to and fro; they that seek them seek death.


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It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than in a house in common with a contentious woman.


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When the scorner is punished, the thoughtless is made wise; and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.


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Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be answered.


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There is desirable treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swalloweth it up.


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The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more, when he bringeth it with the proceeds of wickedness?


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A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.


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Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.


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The eyes of the LORD preserve him that hath knowledge, but He overthroweth the words of the faithless man.


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Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.


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One may oppress the poor, yet will their gain increase; one may give to the rich, yet will want come.


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For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; let them be established altogether upon thy lips.


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That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest bring back words of truth to them that send thee?


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Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.


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Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.


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For as one that hath reckoned within himself, so is he: 'Eat and drink', saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.


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For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.


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The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.


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Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?


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Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it glideth down smoothly;


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Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.


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'They have struck me, and I felt it not, they have beaten me, and I knew it not; when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.'


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Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?


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If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?


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So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.


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For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.


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He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;


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Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'


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And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.


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For better is it that it be said unto thee: 'Come up hither', than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.


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Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.


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As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sendeth him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.


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Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.


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As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, so is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.


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As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.


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As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, so is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.


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He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.


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The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body.


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Though his hatred be concealed with deceit, his wickedness shall be revealed before the congregation.


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Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity; better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.


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He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.


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Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.


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Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.


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When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in;


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And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.


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For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof; but by a man of understanding and knowledge established order shall long continue.


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Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.


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He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase, gathereth it for him that is gracious to the poor.


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Whoso causeth the upright to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit; but the whole-hearted shall inherit good.


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He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy.


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The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.


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A man that is laden with the blood of any person shall hasten his steps unto the pit; none will support him.


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He that tilleth his ground shall have plenty of bread; but he that followeth after vain things shall have poverty enough.


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A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished.


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Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith: 'It is no transgression', the same is the companion of a destroyer.


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He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife; but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be abundantly gratified.


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When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people sigh.


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Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father; but he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.


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When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth; but the righteous shall gaze upon their fall.


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An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous; and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.


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Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?


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Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with mine allotted bread;


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Lest I be full, and deny, and say: 'Who is the LORD?' Or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.


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There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.


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There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their great teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.


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The horseleech hath two daughters: 'Give, give.' There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four that say not: 'Enough':


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The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not: 'Enough.'


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The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young vultures shall eat it.


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The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.


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So is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: 'I have done no wickedness.'


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If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.


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For the churning of milk bringeth forth curd, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.


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It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say: 'Where is strong drink?'


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Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, and pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.


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She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.


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The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.


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All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.


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All things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.


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That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.


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Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'?--it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.


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There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.


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And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.


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I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.


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I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.


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And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly--I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.


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I said in my heart: 'Come now, I will try thee with mirth, and enjoy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity.


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I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.


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I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;


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I gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.


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So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.


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And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.


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Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.


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And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.


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The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.


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Then said I in my heart: 'As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?' Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.


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For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool!


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So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.


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And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.


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And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.


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Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.


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For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.


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For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?


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For all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. This also is vanity.


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There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.


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For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.


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A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;


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A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;


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He hath made every thing beautiful in its time; also He hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.


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I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to get pleasure so long as they live.


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But also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy pleasure for all his labour, is the gift of God.


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I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God hath so made it, that men should fear before Him.


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That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.


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And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.


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I said in my heart: 'The righteous and the wicked God will judge; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.'


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I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men, that God may sift them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.'


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For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.


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Who knoweth the spirit of man whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast whether it goeth downward to the earth?


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Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?


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But I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun; and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.


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but better than they both is he that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.


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Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.


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There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: 'for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?' This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business.


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For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.


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And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.


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Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.


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I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the child, the second, that was to stand up in his stead.


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There was no end of all the people, even of all them whom he did lead; yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.


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Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.


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Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.


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For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.


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When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.


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Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?


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If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.


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He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.


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When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes?


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Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.


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There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;


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and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.


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As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.


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And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?


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Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.


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Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour--this is the gift of God.


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For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.


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a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.


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If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;


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For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?


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Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.


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Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.


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For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?


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It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.


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Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.


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Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.


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For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.


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In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.


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All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.


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It is good that thou shouldest take hold of the one; yea, also from the other withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God shall discharge himself of them all.


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I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;


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and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.


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which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.


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Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.


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Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.


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Be not hasty to go out of his presence; stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.


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Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment.


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For he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?


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There is no man that hath power over the wind to retain the wind; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.


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All this have I seen, even applied my heart thereto, whatever the work that is done under the sun; what time one man had power over another to his hurt.


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And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity.


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Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil;


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because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days--though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him;


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but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.


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There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: that there are righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous--I said that this also is vanity.


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So I commended mirth, that a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labour all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.


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When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth--for neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes--


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then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.


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For all this I laid to my heart, even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.


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All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.


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This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.


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For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.


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For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.


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As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is long ago perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.


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Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.


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Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.


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Whatsoever thy hand attaineth to do by thy strength, that do; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.


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I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.


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For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.


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there was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it;


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now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.


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Then said I: 'Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.'


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Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.


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Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.


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If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.


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He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.


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If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.


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The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.


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A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?


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Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!


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Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.


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Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.


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If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall in the south, or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.


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As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all things.


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In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.


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For if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.


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Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.


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Therefore remove vexation from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.


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Remember then thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: 'I have no pleasure in them';


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Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;


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In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out shall be darkened in the windows,


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And the doors shall be shut in the street, when the sound of the grinding is low; and one shall start up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;


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Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caperberry shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets;


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Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, and the golden bowl is shattered, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel falleth shattered, into the pit;


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And besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.


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Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.


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The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.


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And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.


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The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.


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For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.


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Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is as ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee.


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Draw me, we will run after thee; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will find thy love more fragrant than wine! sincerely do they love thee.


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'I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.


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Look not upon me, that I am swarthy, that the sun hath tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.'


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Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that veileth herself beside the flocks of thy companions?


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If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, beside the shepherds' tents.


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As an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. Under its shadow I delighted to sit, and its fruit was sweet to my taste.


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'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please.'


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My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart; behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh in through the windows, he peereth through the lattice.


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The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;


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The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.


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O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.'


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Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.


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'I will rise now, and go about the city, in the streets and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loveth.' I sought him, but I found him not.


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Scarce had I passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.


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Who is this that cometh up out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?


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Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; threescore mighty men are about it, of the mighty men of Israel.


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They all handle the sword, and are expert in war; every man hath his sword upon his thigh, because of dread in the night.


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He made the pillars thereof of silver, the top thereof of gold, the seat of it of purple, the inside thereof being inlaid with love, from the daughters of Jerusalem.


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Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and gaze upon king Solomon, even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.


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Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thine eyes are as doves behind thy veil; thy hair is as a flock of goats, that trail down from mount Gilead.


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Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes all shaped alike, which are come up from the washing; whereof all are paired, and none faileth among them.


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Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy mouth is comely; thy temples are like a pomegranate split open behind thy veil.


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Thy neck is like the tower of David builded with turrets, whereon there hang a thousand shields, all the armour of the mighty men.


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Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.


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Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon; look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.


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Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my bride; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one bead of thy necklace.


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How fair is thy love, my sister, my bride! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all manner of spices!


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Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey--honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.


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Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.


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Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his precious fruits.


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I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.


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I sleep, but my heart waketh; Hark! my beloved knocketh: 'Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.'


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I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with flowing myrrh, upon the handles of the bar.


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I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had turned away, and was gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.


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The watchmen that go about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me.


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'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? that I am love- sick.'


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'What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so adjure us?'


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His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as banks of sweet herbs; his lips are as lilies, dropping with flowing myrrh.


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His hands are as rods of gold set with beryl; his body is as polished ivory overlaid with sapphires.


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His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold; his aspect is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.


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His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.'


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'Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? Whither hath thy beloved turned him, that we may seek him with thee?'


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'My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.


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Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me. Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that trail down from Gilead.


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Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes, which are come up from the washing; whereof all are paired, and none faileth among them.


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My dove, my undefiled, is but one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her happy; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.


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Who is she that looketh forth as the dawn, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?


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I went down into the garden of nuts, to look at the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, and the pomegranates were in flower.


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Return, return, O Shulammite; Return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulammite? As it were a dance of two companies.


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How beautiful are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter! The roundings of thy thighs are like the links of a chain, the work of the hands of a skilled workman.


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Thy navel is like a round goblet, wherein no mingled wine is wanting; thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies.


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Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes as the pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim; thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.


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Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thy head like purple; the king is held captive in the tresses thereof.


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I said: 'I will climb up into the palm-tree, I will take hold of the branches thereof; and let thy breasts be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy countenance like apples;


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And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine, that glideth down smoothly for my beloved, moving gently the lips of those that are asleep.'


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Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine hath budded, whether the vine- blossom be opened, and the pomegranates be in flower; there will I give thee my love.


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The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.


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Oh that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! When I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, and none would despise me.


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I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, that thou mightest instruct me; I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate.


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Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple-tree I awakened thee; there thy mother was in travail with thee; there was she in travail and brought thee forth.


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Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave; the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the LORD.


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Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would utterly be contemned.


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We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?


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If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.


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I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof; then was I in his eyes as one that found peace.


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Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he gave over the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof brought in a thousand pieces of silver.


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My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.


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Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a gazelle or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.


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THE VISION of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.


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Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD hath spoken: Children I have reared, and brought up, and they have rebelled against Me.


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The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider.


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Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly; they have forsaken the LORD, they have contemned the Holy One of Israel, they are turned away backward.


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On what part will ye yet be stricken, seeing ye stray away more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;


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From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and festering sores: they have not been pressed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.


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Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by floods.


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And the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.


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Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah.


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Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.


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To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.


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Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations--I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly.


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Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them.


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And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.


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Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.


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But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken.


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How is the faithful city become a harlot! She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.


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Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth bribes, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.


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Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies;


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And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purge away thy dross as with lye, and will take away all thine alloy;


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And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, the faithful city.


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But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.


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For they shall be ashamed of the terebinths which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.


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And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.


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And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.


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And many peoples shall go and say: 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.


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And He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.


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For Thou hast forsaken Thy people the house of Jacob; for they are replenished from the east, and with soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the brood of aliens.


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Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.


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Their land also is full of idols; every one worshippeth the work of his own hands, that which his own fingers have made.


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Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty.


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The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.


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For the LORD of hosts hath a day upon all that is proud and lofty, and upon all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low;


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And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.


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And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake mightily the earth.


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In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats;


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To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crevices of the crags, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.


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For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, every stay of bread, and every stay of water;


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The captain of fifty, and the man of rank, and the counsellor, and the cunning charmer, and the skilful enchanter.


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And the people shall oppress one another, every man his fellow, and every man his neighbour; the child shall behave insolently against the aged, and the base against the honourable,


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For a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father: 'Thou hast a mantle, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand.'


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In that day shall he swear, saying: 'I will not be a healer; for in my house is neither bread nor a mantle; ye shall not make me ruler of a people.'


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For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen; because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory.


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The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have wrought evil unto themselves.


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Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.


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As for My people, a babe is their master, and women rule over them. O My people, they that lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.


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The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and the princes thereof: 'It is ye that have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses;


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What mean ye that ye crush My people, and grind the face of the poor?' saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts.


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Moreover the LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet;


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Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will lay bare their secret parts.


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In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their anklets, and the fillets, and the crescents;


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And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet spices there shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle rags; and instead of curled hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; branding instead of beauty.


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And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying: 'We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.'


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In that day shall the growth of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.


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And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written unto life in Jerusalem;


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when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of destruction.


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And the LORD will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy.


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And there shall be a pavilion for a shadow in the day-time from the heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain.


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Let me sing of my well-beloved, a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill;


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And he digged it, and cleared it of stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a vat therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.


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And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.


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What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?


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And now come, I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the fence thereof, and it shall be trodden down;


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And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned nor hoed, but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.


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For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah the plant of His delight; and He looked for justice, but behold violence; for righteousness, but behold a cry.


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Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no room, and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land!


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In mine ears said the LORD of hosts: of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.


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Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them!


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And the harp and the psaltery, the tabret and the pipe, and wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither have they considered the operation of His hands.


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Therefore My people are gone into captivity, for want of knowledge; and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude are parched with thirst.


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Therefore the nether-world hath enlarged her desire, and opened her mouth without measure; and down goeth their glory, and their tumult, and their uproar, and he that rejoiceth among them.


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But the LORD of hosts is exalted through justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified through righteousness.


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Then shall the lambs feed as in their pasture, and the waste places of the fat ones shall wanderers eat.


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That say: 'Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!'


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Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that change darkness into light, and light into darkness; that change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter!


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Therefore as the tongue of fire devoureth the stubble, and as the chaff is consumed in the flame, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust; because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and contemned the word of the Holy One of Israel.


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Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against His people, and He hath stretched forth His hand against them, and hath smitten them, and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.


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And He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly;


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None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken;


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Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent; their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind;


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Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions, yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and carry it away safe, and there shall be none to deliver.


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And they shall roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea; and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and distress, and the light is darkened in the skies thereof.


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In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.


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Above Him stood the seraphim; each one had six wings: with twain he covered his face and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.


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And one called unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.


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And the posts of the door were moved at the voice of them that called, and the house was filled with smoke.


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Then said I: Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.


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Then flew unto me one of the seraphim, with a glowing stone in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;


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and he touched my mouth with it, and said: Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin expiated.


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And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: 'Here am I; send me.'


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And He said: 'Go, and tell this people: hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.


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Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they, seeing with their eyes, and hearing with their ears, and understanding with their heart, return, and be healed.'


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Then said I: 'Lord, how long?' And He answered: 'Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste,


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And if there be yet a tenth in it, it shall again be eaten up; as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stock remaineth, when they cast their leaves, so the holy seed shall be the stock thereof.'


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And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it; but could not prevail against it.


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And it was told the house of David, saying: 'Aram is confederate with Ephraim.' And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest are moved with the wind.


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Then said the LORD unto Isaiah: 'Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fullers' field;


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and say unto him: Keep calm, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and of the son of Remaliah.


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Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeel;


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For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people;


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And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not have faith, surely ye shall not be established.'


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And he said: 'Hear ye now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, that ye will weary my God also?


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Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.


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Yea, before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings thou hast a horror of shall be forsaken.


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The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.'


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.


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And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the rugged valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all brambles.


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In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, even with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also sweep away the beard.


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and it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give, he shall eat curd; for curd and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, shall even be for briers and thorns.


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With arrows and with bow shall one come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.


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And all the hills that were digged with the mattock, thou shalt not come thither for fear of briers and thorns, but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of sheep.


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And the LORD said unto me: 'Take thee a great tablet, and write upon it in common script: The spoil speedeth, the prey hasteth;


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and I will take unto Me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.'


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And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bore a son. Then said the LORD unto me: 'Call his name Maher-shalal- hashbaz.


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For before the child shall have knowledge to cry: My father, and: My mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be carried away before the king of Assyria.'


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Forasmuch as this people hath refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoiceth with Rezin and Remaliah's son;


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Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the River, mighty and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks;


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And he shall sweep through Judah overflowing as he passeth through he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.


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Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.


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Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.


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For the LORD spoke thus to me with a strong hand, admonishing me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:


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'Say ye not: A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people do say: A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor account it dreadful.


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And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.


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And I will wait for the LORD, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him.


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Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me shall be for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion.


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And when they shall say unto you: 'Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead


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for instruction and for testimony?'--Surely they will speak according to this word, wherein there is no light.--


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And they shall pass this way that are sore bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their God, and, whether they turn their faces upward,


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or look unto the earth, behold distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and outspread thick darkness.


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For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district of the nations.


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The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.


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Thou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast increased their joy; they joy before Thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.


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For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, Thou hast broken as in the day of Midian.


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For every boot stamped with fierceness, and every cloak rolled in blood, shall even be for burning, for fuel of fire.


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For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele- joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;


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That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts doth perform this.


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And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and in arrogancy of heart:


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'The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but cedars will we put in their place.'


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The Arameans on the east, and the Philistines on the west; and they devour Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.


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Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall He have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is ungodly and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh wantonness. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.


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For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in thick clouds of smoke.


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Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land burnt up; the people also are as the fuel of fire; no man spareth his brother.


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And one snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and is not satisfied; they eat every man the flesh of his own arm:


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Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together are against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.


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To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right of the poor of My people, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!


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And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the ruin which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help? And where will ye leave your glory?


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They can do nought except crouch under the captives, and fall under the slain. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.


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I do send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath do I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.


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Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few.


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As my hand hath reached the kingdoms of the idols, whose graven images did exceed them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;


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Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed His whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.


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For he hath said: by the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent; in that I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and have brought down as one mighty the inhabitants;


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And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathereth eggs that are forsaken, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or that opened the mouth, or chirped.


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Should the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Should the saw magnify itself against him that moveth it? as if a rod should move them that lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him that is not wood.


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Therefore will the Lord, the LORD of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire.


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And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.


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And the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, he will consume both soul and body; and it shall be as when a sick man wasteth away.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.


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For though thy people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return; an extermination is determined, overflowing with righteousness.


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For an extermination wholly determined shall the Lord, the GOD of hosts, make in the midst of all the earth.


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Therefore thus saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts: O My people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of Asshur, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.


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For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall be accomplished, and Mine anger shall be to their destruction.


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And the LORD of hosts shall stir up against him a scourge, as in the slaughter of Midian at the Rock of Oreb; and as His rod was over the sea, so shall He lift it up after the manner of Egypt.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall depart from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of fatness.


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They are gone over the pass; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembleth; Gibeath-shaul is fled.


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This very day shall he halt at Nob, shaking his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.


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Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the boughs with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the lofty shall be laid low.


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And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow forth out of his roots.


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And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.


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And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears;


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But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the land; and he shall smite the land with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.


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And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.


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And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.


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And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den.


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They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting-place shall be glorious.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, that shall remain from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.


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And He will set up an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the dispersed of Israel, and gather together the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.


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The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and they that harass Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.


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And they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines on the west; together shall they spoil the children of the east; they shall put forth their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.


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And the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with His scorching wind will He shake His hand over the River, and will smite it into seven streams, and cause men to march over dry-shod.


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And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, that shall remain from Assyria, like as there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.


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And in that day thou shalt say: 'I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD; for though Thou was angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me.


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Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for GOD the LORD is my strength and song; and He is become my salvation.'


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And in that day shall ye say: 'Give thanks unto the LORD, proclaim His name, declare His doings among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted.


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Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.'


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Set ye up an ensign upon the high mountain, lift up the voice unto them, wave the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.


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I have commanded My consecrated ones, yea, I have called My mighty ones for mine anger, even My proudly exulting ones.


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Hark, a tumult in the mountains, like as of a great people! Hark, the uproar of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.


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They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole earth.


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And they shall be affrighted; pangs and throes shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail; they shall look aghast one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame.


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Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel, and full of wrath and fierce anger; to make the earth a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it,


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For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.


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And I will visit upon the world their evil, and upon the wicked their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the tyrants.


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Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of her place, for the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and for the day of His fierce anger.


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And it shall come to pass, that as the chased gazelle, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land.


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Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is caught shall fall by the sword.


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Their babes also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.


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Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.


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And their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.


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And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.


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It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.


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But wild-cats shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of ferrets; and ostriches shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.


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And jackals shall howl in their castles, and wild-dogs in the pleasant palaces; and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.


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For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the stranger shall join himself with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.


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And the peoples shall take them, and bring them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and for handmaids; and they shall take them captive, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.


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And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy travail, and from thy trouble, and from the hard service wherein thou wast made to serve,


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that thou shalt take up this parable against the king of Babylon, and say: How hath the oppressor ceased! the exactress of gold ceased!


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That smote the peoples in wrath with an incessant stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained.


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Yea, the cypresses rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon: 'Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.'


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The nether-world from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; the shades are stirred up for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; all the kings of the nations are raised up from their thrones.


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All they do answer and say unto thee: 'Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?


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Thy pomp is brought down to the nether-world, and the noise of thy psalteries; the maggot is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.'


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How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, that didst cast lots over the nations!


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And thou saidst in thy heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, above the stars of God will I exalt my throne, and I will sit upon the mount of meeting, in the uttermost parts of the north;


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They that saw thee do narrowly look upon thee, they gaze earnestly at thee: 'Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;


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That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?'


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But thou art cast forth away from thy grave like an abhorred offshoot, in the raiment of the slain, that are thrust through with the sword, that go down to the pavement of the pit, as a carcass trodden under foot.


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Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people; the seed of evil- doers shall not be named for ever.


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Prepare ye slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they rise not up, and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.


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And I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and offshoot and offspring, saith the LORD.


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I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.


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The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying: Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,


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That I will break Asshur in My land, and upon My mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulder.


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This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.


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For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?


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Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of thee, because the rod that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a flying serpent.


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And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and thy remnant shall be slain.


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Howl, O gate; cry, O city; melt away, O Philistia, all of thee; for there cometh a smoke out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks.


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What then shall one answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of His people take refuge.


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The burden of Moab. For in the night that Ar of Moab is laid waste, he is brought to ruin; for in the night that Kir of Moab is laid waste, he is brought to ruin.


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He is gone up to Baith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep; upon Nebo, and upon Medeba, Moab howleth; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is shaven.


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In their streets they gird themselves with sackcloth; on their housetops, and in their broad places, every one howleth, weeping profusely.


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And Heshbon crieth out, and Elealeh; their voice is heard even unto Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul is faint within him.


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My heart crieth out for Moab; her fugitives reach unto Zoar, a heifer of three years old; for by the ascent of Luhith with weeping they go up; for in the way of Horonaim they raise up a cry of destruction.


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For the Waters of Nimrim shall be desolate; for the grass is withered away, the herbage faileth, there is no green thing.


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Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.


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For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim.


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For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; for I will bring yet more upon Dimon, a lion upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.


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Send ye the lambs for the ruler of the land from the crags that are toward the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.


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For it shall be that, as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be at the fords of Arnon.


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'Give counsel, execute justice; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; betray not the fugitive.


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Let mine outcasts dwell with thee; as for Moab, be thou a covert to him from the face of the spoiler.' For the extortion is at an end, spoiling ceaseth, they that trampled down are consumed out of the land;


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And a throne is established through mercy, and there sitteth thereon in truth, in the tent of David, one that judgeth, and seeketh justice, and is ready in righteousness.


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We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud; even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his arrogancy, his ill-founded boastings.


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Therefore shall Moab wail for Moab, every one shall wail; for the sweet cakes of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn, sorely stricken.


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For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah, whose choice plants did overcome the lords of nations; they reached even unto Jazer, they wandered into the wilderness; her branches were spread abroad, they passed over the sea.


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Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh; for upon thy summer fruits and upon thy harvest the battle shout is fallen.


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And gladness and joy are taken away out of the fruitful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting; no treader shall tread out wine in the presses; I have made the vintage shout to cease.


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And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab hath wearied himself upon the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail


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But now the LORD hath spoken, saying: 'Within three years, as the years of a hireling, and the glory of Moab shall wax contemptible for all his great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and without strength.'


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The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.


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The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.


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The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Aram shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.


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And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; yea, it shall be as when one gleaneth ears in the valley of Rephaim.


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Yet there shall be left therein gleanings, as at the beating of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful tree, saith the LORD, the God of Israel.


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And he shall not regard the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall he look to that which his fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images.


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In that day shall his strong cities be as the forsaken places, which were forsaken from before the children of Israel, after the manner of woods and lofty forests; and it shall be a desolation.


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For thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and thou hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy stronghold; therefore thou didst plant plants of pleasantness, and didst set it with slips of a stranger;


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In the day of thy planting thou didst make it to grow, and in the morning thou didst make thy seed to blossom--a heap of boughs in the day of grief and of desperate pain.


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Ah, the uproar of many peoples, that roar like the roaring of the seas; and the rushing of nations, that rush like the rushing of mighty waters!


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The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters; but He shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like the whirling dust before the storm.


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At eventide behold terror; and before the morning they are not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.


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That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus upon the waters! Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation tall and of glossy skin, to a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide!


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All ye inhabitants of the world, and ye dwellers on the earth, when an ensign is lifted up on the mountains, see ye; and when the horn is blown, hear ye.


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For thus hath the LORD said unto me: I will hold Me still, and I will look on in My dwelling-place, like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.


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For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the bud becometh a ripening grape, He will cut off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, and the shoots will He take away and lop off.


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They shall be left together unto the ravenous birds of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth; and the ravenous birds shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.


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In that time shall a present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people tall and of glossy skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.


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The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and cometh unto Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt within it.


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And I will spur Egypt against Egypt; and they shall fight every one against his brother, and everyone against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.


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And the spirit of Egypt shall be made empty within it; and I will make void the counsel thereof; and they shall seek unto the idols, and to the whisperers, and to the ghosts, and to the familiar spirits.


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And I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.


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And the rivers shall become foul; the streams of Egypt shall be minished and dried up; the reeds and flags shall wither.


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The mosses by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile, shall become dry, be driven away, and be no more.


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The fishers also shall lament, and all they that cast angle into the Nile shall mourn, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.


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The princes of Zoan are utter fools; the wisest counsellors of Pharaoh are a senseless counsel; how can ye say unto Pharaoh: 'I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings'?


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Where are they, then, thy wise men? And let them tell thee now; and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed concerning Egypt.


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The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, that are the corner-stone of her tribes.


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The LORD hath mingled within her a spirit of dizziness; and they have caused Egypt to stagger in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.


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In that day shall Egypt be like unto women; and it shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He shaketh over it.


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And the land of Judah shall become a terror unto Egypt, whensoever one maketh mention thereof to it; it shall be afraid, because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts, which He purposeth against it.


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In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.


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In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.


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And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will send them a saviour, and a defender, who will deliver them.


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And the LORD shall make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day; yea, they shall worship with sacrifice and offering, and shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and shall perform it.


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And the LORD will smite Egypt, smiting and healing; and they shall return unto the LORD, and He will be entreated of them, and will heal them.


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In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians shall worship with the Assyrians.


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In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;


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for that the LORD of hosts hath blessed him, saying: 'Blessed be Egypt My people and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance.'


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In the year that Tartan came into Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;


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at that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying: 'Go, and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put thy shoe from off thy foot.' And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.


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And the LORD said: 'Like as My servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot to be for three years a sign and a wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia,


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so shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.


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And they shall be dismayed and ashamed, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.


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And the inhabitant of this coast-land shall say in that day: Behold, such is our expectation, whither we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?'


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The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweeping on, it cometh from the wilderness, from a dreadful land.


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A grievous vision is declared unto me: 'The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam! besiege, O Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.'


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Therefore are my loins filled with convulsion; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bent so that I cannot hear; I am affrighted so that I cannot see.


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My heart is bewildered, terror hath overwhelmed me; the twilight that I longed for hath been turned for me into trembling.


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They prepare the table, they light the lamps, they eat, they drink--'Rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.'


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And when he seeth a troop, horsemen by pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.


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And he cried as a lion: 'Upon the watch-tower, O Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and I am set in my ward all the nights.'


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And, behold, there came a troop of men, horsemen by pairs. And he spoke and said: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.'


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O thou my threshing, and the winnowing of my floor, that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.


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The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir: 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?'


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The watchman said: 'The morning cometh, and also the night--if ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come.'


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Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread.


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For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.


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For thus hath the Lord said unto me: 'Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;


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and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished; for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.'


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The burden concerning the Valley of Vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops,


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Thou that art full of uproar, a tumultuous city, a joyous town? Thy slain are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.


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All thy rulers are fled together, without the bow they are bound; all that are found of thee are bound together, they are fled afar off.


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Therefore said I: 'Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; strain not to comfort me, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.'


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For it is a day of trouble, and of trampling, and of perplexity, from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, in the Valley of Vision; Kir shouting, and Shoa at the mount.


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And it came to pass, when thy choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen set themselves in array at the gate,


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And the covering of Judah was laid bare, that thou didst look in that day to the armour in the house of the forest.


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And ye saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many; and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.


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ye made also a basin between the two walls for the water of the old pool--but ye looked not unto Him that had done this, neither had ye respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago.


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And in that day did the Lord, the GOD of hosts, call to weeping, and to lamentation, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth;


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And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine--'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die!'


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And the LORD of hosts revealed Himself in mine ears: Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you till ye die, saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts.


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Thus saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts: Go, get thee unto this steward, even unto Shebna, who is over the house:


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What hast thou here, and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out here a sepulchre, thou that hewest thee out a sepulchre on high, and gravest a habitation for thyself in the rock?


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Behold, the LORD will hurl thee up and down with a man's throw; yea, He will wind thee round and round;


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He will violently roll and toss thee like a ball into a large country; there shalt thou die, and there shall be the chariots of thy glory, thou shame of the lord's house.


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And I will clothe him with thy robe, and bind him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.


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And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.


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And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of honour to his father's house.


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And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flagons.


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In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the peg that was fastened in a sure place give way; and it shall be hewn down, and fall, and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off; for the LORD hath spoken it.


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The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in; from the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.


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Be still, ye inhabitants of the coast-land; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.


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And on great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.


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Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying: 'I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I reared young men, nor brought up virgins.'


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Is this your joyous city, whose feet in antiquity, in ancient days, carried her afar off to sojourn?


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Who hath devised this against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?


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The LORD of hosts hath devised it, to pollute the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.


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He hath stretched out His hand over the sea, He hath shaken the kingdoms; the LORD hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof;


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And He said: 'Thou shalt no more rejoice.' O thou oppressed virgin daughter of Zidon, arise, pass over to Kittim; even there shalt thou have no rest.


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Behold, the land of the Chaldeans--this is the people that was not, when Asshur founded it for shipmen--they set up their towers, they overthrew the palaces thereof; it is made a ruin.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king; after the end of seventy years it shall fare with Tyre as in the song of the harlot:


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Take a harp, go about the city, thou harlot long forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.


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And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will remember Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and shall have commerce with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.


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And her gain and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD; it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her gain shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat their fill, and for stately clothing.


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Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.


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And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor.


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The earth fainteth and fadeth away, the world faileth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do fail.


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The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statute, broken the everlasting covenant.


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Therefore hath a curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty; therefore the inhabitants of the earth waste away, and men are left few.


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There is a crying in the streets amidst the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.


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For thus shall it be in the midst of the earth, among the peoples, as at the beating of an olive-tree, as at the gleanings when the vintage is done.


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Those yonder lift up their voice, they sing for joy; for the majesty of the LORD they shout from the sea:


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'Therefore glorify ye the LORD in the regions of light, even the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.'


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From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: 'Glory to the righteous.' But I say: I waste away, I waste away, woe is me! The treacherous deal treacherously; yea, the treacherous deal very treacherously.


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And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the terror shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the trap; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth do shake;


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The earth is broken, broken down, the earth is crumbled in pieces, the earth trembleth and tottereth;


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The earth reeleth to and fro like a drunken man, and swayeth to and fro as a lodge; and the transgression thereof is heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD will punish the host of the high heaven on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.


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And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the dungeon, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be punished.


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Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be Glory.


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O LORD, Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name, for Thou hast done wonderful things; even counsels of old, in faithfulness and truth.


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For Thou hast made of a city a heap, of a fortified city a ruin; a castle of strangers to be no city, it shall never be built.


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For Thou hast been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones was as a storm against the wall.


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As the heat in a dry place, Thou didst subdue the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shadow of a cloud, the song of the terrible ones was brought low.


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And in this mountain will the LORD of hosts make unto all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.


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And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering that is cast over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations.


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He will swallow up death for ever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the reproach of His people will He take away from off all the earth; for the LORD hath spoken it.


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And it shall be said in that day: 'Lo, this is our God, for whom we waited, that He might save us; this is the LORD, for whom we waited, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.'


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For in this mountain will the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down in his place, even as straw is trodden down in the dunghill.


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And when he shall spread forth his hands in the midst thereof, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, his pride shall be brought down together with the cunning of his hands.


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And the high fortress of thy walls will He bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.


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In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; walls and bulwarks doth He appoint for salvation.


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For He hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city, laying it low, laying it low even to the ground, bringing it even to the dust.


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Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for Thee; to Thy name and to Thy memorial is the desire of our soul.


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With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me have I sought Thee earnestly; for when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.


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Let favour be shown to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.


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LORD, Thy hand was lifted up, yet they see not; they shall see with shame Thy zeal for the people; yea, fire shall devour Thine adversaries.


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O LORD our God, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us; but by Thee only do we make mention of Thy name.


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The dead live not, the shades rise not; to that end hast Thou punished and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.


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Thou hast gotten Thee honour with the nations, O LORD, yea, exceeding great honour with the nations; Thou art honoured unto the farthest ends of the earth.


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LORD, in trouble have they sought Thee, silently they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them.


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Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been at Thy presence, O LORD.


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We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the land; neither are the inhabitants of the world come to life.


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Thy dead shall live, my dead bodies shall arise--awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust--for Thy dew is as the dew of light, and the earth shall bring to life the shades.


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Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.


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For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of His place to visit upon the inhabitants of the earth their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.


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In that day the LORD with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent, and leviathan the tortuous serpent; and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea.


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I the LORD do guard it, I water it every moment; lest Mine anger visit it, I guard it night and day.


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Fury is not in Me; would that I were as the briers and thorns in flame! I would with one step burn it altogether.


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Or else let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; yea, let him make peace with Me.


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In days to come shall Jacob take root, Israel shall blossom and bud; and the face of the world shall be filled with fruitage.


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Hath He smitten him as He smote those that smote him? Or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that were slain by Him?


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In full measure, when Thou sendest her away, Thou dost contend with her; He hath removed her with His rough blast in the day of the east wind.


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Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be expiated, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in pieces, so that the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more.


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For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation abandoned and forsaken, like the wilderness; there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.


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When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off; the women shall come, and set them on fire; for it is a people of no understanding; therefore He that made them will not have compassion upon them, and He that formed them will not be gracious unto them.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD will beat off His fruit from the flood of the River unto the Brook of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.


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And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great horn shall be blown; and they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, and they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt; and they shall worship the LORD in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.


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Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are smitten down with wine!


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Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, as a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, as a storm of mighty waters overflowing, that casteth down to the earth with violence.


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And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer, which when one looketh upon it, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.


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In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people;


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And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.


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But these also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel in vision, they totter in judgment.


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Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom shall one make to understand the message? Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn from the breasts?


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For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little.


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To whom it was said: 'This is the rest, give ye rest to the weary; and this is the refreshing'; yet they would not hear.


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And so the word of the LORD is unto them precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.


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Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scoffers, the ballad-mongers of this people which is in Jerusalem:


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Because ye have said: 'We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether-world are we at agreement; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood have we hid ourselves';


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Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a costly corner-stone of sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.


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And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.


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And your covenant with death shall be disannulled and your agreement with the nether-world shall not stand; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it,


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As often as it passeth through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be sheer terror to understand the message.


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For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself; and the covering too narrow when he gathereth himself up.


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For the LORD will rise up as in mount Perazim, He will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that He may do His work, strange is His work, and bring to pass His act, strange is His act.


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Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bands be made strong; for an extermination wholly determined have I heard from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, upon the whole land.


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When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the black cummin, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the appointed place and the spelt in the border thereof?


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For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing-sledge, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the black cummin is beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.


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Is bread corn crushed? Nay, he will not ever be threshing it; and though the roller of his wagon and its sharp edges move noisily, he doth not crush it.


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Then will I distress Ariel, and there shall be mourning and moaning; and she shall be unto Me as a hearth of God.


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And I will encamp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mound, and I will raise siege works against thee.


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And brought down thou shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be as of a ghost out of the ground, and thy speech shall chirp out of the dust.


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But the multitude of thy foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones as chaff that passeth away; yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly--


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There shall be a visitation from the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.


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And the multitude of all the nations that war against Ariel, even all that war against her, and the bulwarks about her, and they that distress her, shall be as a dream, a vision of the night.


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And it shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth, but he awaketh, and his soul is empty; or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh, but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite--so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.


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Stupefy yourselves, and be stupid! Blind yourselves, and be blind! ye that are drunken, but not with wine, that stagger, but not with strong drink.


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For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets, and your heads, the seers, hath He covered.


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And the vision of all this is become unto you as the words of a writing that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying: 'Read this, I pray thee'; and he saith: 'I cannot, for it is sealed';


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and the writing is delivered to him that is not learned, saying: 'Read this, I pray thee'; and he saith: 'I am not learned.'


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And the Lord said: Forasmuch as this people draw near, and with their mouth and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by rote;


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Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the prudence of their prudent men shall be hid.


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Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say: 'Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?'


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O your perversity! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it: 'He made me not'; or the thing framed say of him that framed it: 'He hath no understanding?'


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Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?


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And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of a book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.


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The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the neediest among men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.


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For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner ceaseth, and all they that watch for iniquity are cut off;


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That make a man an offender by words, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just with a thing of nought.


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Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale;


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When he seeth his children, the work of My hands, in the midst of him, that they sanctify My name; yea, they shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall stand in awe of the God of Israel.


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They also that err in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmur shall learn instruction.


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Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me; and that form projects, but not of My spirit, that they may add sin to sin;


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That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at My mouth; to take refuge in the stronghold of Pharaoh, and to take shelter in the shadow of Egypt!


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Therefore shall the stronghold of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your confusion.


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They shall all be ashamed of a people that cannot profit them, that are not a help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.


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The burden of the beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and flying serpent, they carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the humps of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.


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For Egypt helpeth in vain, and to no purpose; therefore have I called her arrogancy that sitteth still.


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Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.


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For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that refuse to hear the teaching of the LORD;


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That say to the seers: 'See not,' and to the prophets: 'Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy delusions;


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Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.'


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Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel: because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon;


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Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.


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And He shall break it as a potter's vessel is broken, breaking it in pieces without sparing; so that there shall not be found among the pieces thereof a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water out of the cistern.


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For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: in sitting still and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength; and ye would not.


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But ye said: 'No, for we will flee upon horses'; therefore shall ye flee; and: 'We will ride upon the swift'; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.


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One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one, at the rebuke of five shall ye flee; till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.


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And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have compassion upon you; for the LORD is a God of justice, happy are all they that wait for Him.


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For, O people that dwellest in Zion at Jerusalem, thou shalt weep no more; He will surely be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry, when He shall hear, He will answer thee.


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And though the Lord give you sparing bread and scant water, yet shall not thy Teacher hide Himself any more, but thine eyes shall see thy Teacher;


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And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying: 'This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.'


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And ye shall defile thy graven images overlaid with silver, and thy molten images covered with gold; thou shalt put them far away as one unclean; thou shalt say unto it: 'Get thee hence.'


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And He will give the rain for thy seed, wherewith thou sowest the ground, and bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and plenteous; in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.


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The oxen likewise and the young asses that till the ground shall eat savoury provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.


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And there shall be upon every lofty mountain, and upon every high hill streams and watercourses, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.


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Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the bruise of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.


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Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, with His anger burning, and in thick uplifting of smoke; His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue is as a devouring fire;


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And His breath is as an overflowing stream, that divideth even unto the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction; and a bridle that causeth to err shall be in the jaws of the peoples.


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Ye shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with the pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.


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And the LORD will cause His glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting down of His arm, with furious anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a bursting of clouds, and a storm of rain, and hailstones.


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And in every place where the appointed staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps; and in battles of wielding will He fight with them.


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For a hearth is ordered of old; yea, for the king it is prepared, deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.


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Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many, and in horsemen, because they are exceeding mighty; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!


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Yet He also is wise, and bringeth evil, and doth not call back His words; but will arise against the house of the evil-doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.


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Now the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses flesh, and not spirit; so when the LORD shall stretch out His hand, both he that helpeth shall stumble, and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall perish together.


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For thus saith the LORD unto me: Like as the lion, or the young lion, growling over his prey, though a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them; so will the LORD of hosts come down to fight upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof.


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As birds hovering, so will the LORD of hosts protect Jerusalem; He will deliver it as He protecteth it, He will rescue it as He passeth over.


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For in that day they shall cast away every man his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.


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Then shall Asshur fall with the sword, not of man, and the sword, not of men, shall devour him; and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall become tributary.


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And his rock shall pass away by reason of terror, and his princes shall be dismayed at the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and His furnace in Jerusalem.


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And a man shall be as in a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as by the watercourses in a dry place, as in the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.


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The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.


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For the vile person will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise ungodliness, and to utter wickedness against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.


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The instruments also of the churl are evil; he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, and the needy when he speaketh right.


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Rise up, ye women that are at ease, and hear my voice; ye confident daughters, give ear unto my speech.


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After a year and days shall ye be troubled, ye confident women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come.


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Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye confident ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins,


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For the land of my people whereon thorns and briers come up; yea, for all the houses of joy and the joyous city.


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For the palace shall be forsaken; the city with its stir shall be deserted; the mound and the tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;


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Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.


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And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and confidence for ever.


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And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.


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Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou art weary with dealing treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.


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O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for Thee; be Thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.


