“Then the king of the south ¹  and one of his subordinates ²  will grow strong. His subordinate ³  will resist ⁴  him and will rule a kingdom greater than his. ⁵ 

Now the boy Samuel was growing up and finding favor both with the Lord and with people.

Because of this, our hearts are sick; ¹  because of these things, we can hardly see ²  through our tears. ³ 

“‘All the days of the vow ¹  of his separation no razor may be used on his head ²  until the time ³  is fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord. He will be holy, ⁴  and he must let ⁵  the locks of hair on his head grow long.

Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,

Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns; thickets and weeds will grow ¹  in her fortified cities. Jackals will settle there; ostriches will live there. ² 

I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily, he will send down his roots like a cedar of ¹  Lebanon.

The earth quakes ¹  before them; ²  the sky reverberates. ³  The sun and the moon grow dark; the stars refuse to shine. ⁴ 

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, ¹  every tree that was pleasing to look at ²  and good for food. (Now ³  the tree of life ⁴  and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ⁵  were in the middle of the orchard.)

the Angel ¹  who has protected me ²  from all harm – bless these boys. May my name be named in them, ³  and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”

Even youths get tired and weary; even strong young men clumsily stumble. ¹ 

ב (Bet) He has made my mortal skin ¹  waste away; he has broken my bones.

People ¹  writhe in fear when they see them. ²  All of their faces turn pale with fright. ³ 

But the word of God ¹  kept on increasing ²  and multiplying.

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, ¹  encouragement, and consolation.

So this is what the Lord, the one who delivered Abraham, says to the family of Jacob: ¹  “Jacob will no longer be ashamed; their faces will no longer show their embarrassment. ² 

Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the Lord, ¹  a permanent reminder that will remain. ² 

For I will not be hostile ¹  forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, ²  the life-giving breath I created.

Nor do we boast beyond certain limits ¹  in the work ²  done by others, but we hope ³  that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded ⁴  among you according to our limits, ⁵ 

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