Then ¹  seven heads of grain, thin and burned by the east wind, were sprouting up after them.

When the king heard what the prophet ¹  cried out against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam, standing at the altar, extended his hand ²  and ordered, ³  “Seize him!” The hand he had extended shriveled up ⁴  and he could not pull it back.

who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry! I will dry up your sea currents,’

ח (Khet) The Lord’s loyal kindness ¹  never ceases; ²  his compassions ³  never end.

Our skin is hot as an oven due to a fever from hunger. ¹ 

Even though he flourishes like a reed plant, ¹  a scorching east wind will come, a wind from the Lord rising up from the desert. As a result, his spring will dry up; ²  his well will become dry. That wind ³  will spoil all his delightful foods in the containers in his storehouse.

The sluice gates ¹  are opened; the royal palace is deluged ²  and dissolves. ³ 

Therefore my ¹  people will be deported ²  because of their lack of understanding. Their ³  leaders will have nothing to eat, ⁴  their ⁵  masses will have nothing to drink. ⁶ 

ח (Khet) Now their appearance ¹  is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it is dried up, like tree bark.

Ashkelon will see and be afraid; Gaza will be in great anguish, as will Ekron, for her hope will have been dried up. ¹  Gaza will lose her king, and Ashkelon will no longer be inhabited.

Then ¹  seven heads of grain, withered and thin and burned with the east wind, were sprouting up after them.

For now ¹  you have become like these streams that are no help; ²  you see a terror, ³  and are afraid.

For ¹  I am like a wineskin ²  dried up in smoke. ³  I do not forget your statutes.

Give them, O Lord – what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry, and breasts that cannot nurse! ¹ 

But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered.

All the trees of the field will know that I am the Lord. I make the high tree low; I raise up the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it!’”

Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly ¹  to the camp to your brothers.

You have seized me, ¹  and it ²  has become a witness; my leanness ³  has risen up against me and testifies against me.

Far from where people live ¹  he sinks a shaft, in places travelers have long forgotten, ²  far from other people he dangles and sways. ³ 

I am exhausted from shouting for help; my throat is sore; ¹  my eyes grow tired of looking for my God. ²