The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation ¹  than seven people who respond with good sense. ² 

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline ¹  or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate ¹  will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.

So Joseph went up to bury his father; all Pharaoh’s officials went with him – the senior courtiers ¹  of his household, all the senior officials of the land of Egypt,

Now David ¹  had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, ²  “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”

They said to him, “Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward.” ¹ 

and the pots, shovels, and meat forks. ¹  All the items King Solomon assigned Huram Abi to make for the Lord’s temple ²  were made from polished bronze.

They said to him, “If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.” ¹ 

The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times – for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities. ¹ 

But where, oh where, are your wise men? ¹  Let them tell you, let them find out what the Lord who commands armies has planned for Egypt.

The Lord who rules over all ¹  spoke about Edom. ²  “Is wisdom no longer to be found in Teman? ³  Can Edom’s counselors not give her any good advice? ⁴  Has all of their wisdom turned bad? ⁵ 

Destructive forces will come against her false prophets; ¹  they will be shown to be fools! ²  Destructive forces will come against her soldiers; they will be filled with terror! ³ 

So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser ¹  to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, ¹  Shoa, ²  and Koa, ³  and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, all of them governors and officials, officers and nobles, all of them riding on horses.

This is what the Lord says: ¹  “Even though ²  they are powerful ³  – and what is more, ⁴  even though their army is numerous ⁵  – nevertheless, ⁶  they will be destroyed ⁷  and trickle away! ⁸  Although I afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. ⁹ 

The Lord has issued a decree against you: ¹  “Your dynasty will come to an end. ²  I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate ³  your grave – because you are accursed!” ⁴ 

Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down ¹  first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose ²  the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I ¹  taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I ²  continue to be a burden to my lord the king?

After the king had consulted with his advisers, ¹  he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, ²  “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

From the city he took a eunuch who was in charge of the soldiers, five ¹  of the king’s advisers ²  who were discovered in the city, an official army secretary who drafted citizens ³  for military service, and sixty citizens from the people of the land who were discovered in the city.