“Look! An army is about to come from the north. A mighty nation and many kings ¹  are stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.

Crowds, great crowds are in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! ¹ 

But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.”

Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom. ¹ 

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release ¹  Barabbas instead.

But they were insistent, ¹  demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed.

When they heard these things, they became furious ¹  and ground their teeth ²  at him.

But they covered their ears, ¹  shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent.

When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made ¹  an attempt to mistreat ²  them and stone them, ³ 

So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people ¹  will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time.

“‘On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog. ¹ 

So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs ¹  came up and covered the land of Egypt.

Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites.

They are a people as powerful, numerous, and tall as the Anakites. But the Lord destroyed the Rephaites ¹  in advance of the Ammonites, ²  so they dispossessed them and settled down in their place.

Now, Lord God, may your promise ¹  to my father David be realized, ²  for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth.

People ¹  have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; ²  they unite ³  together against me.

O God, arrogant men attack me; ¹  a gang ²  of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life. ³ 

¹ There is a loud noise on the mountains – it sounds like a large army! ²  There is great commotion among the kingdoms ³  – nations are being assembled! The Lord who commands armies is mustering forces for battle.

For the sovereign master, ¹  the Lord who commands armies, has planned a day of panic, defeat, and confusion. ²  In the Valley of Vision ³  people shout ⁴  and cry out to the hill. ⁵ 

But the horde of invaders will be like fine dust, the horde of tyrants ¹  like chaff that is blown away. It will happen suddenly, in a flash.