He took him away from following the mother sheep, ¹  and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his chosen nation. ² 

ד (Dalet) The infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth due to thirst; little children beg for bread, ¹  but no one gives them even a morsel. ² 

I fed you milk, ¹  not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready,

His servants advised ¹  him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, ²  to take care of the king’s needs ³  and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you ⁴  and keep our master, the king, warm.” ⁵ 

The fatherless child is snatched ¹  from the breast, ²  the infant of the poor is taken as a pledge. ³ 

captains of groups of fifty, the respected citizens, ¹  advisers and those skilled in magical arts, ²  and those who know incantations.

But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes! ¹ 

Like a shepherd he tends his flock; he gathers up the lambs with his arm; he carries them close to his heart; ¹  he leads the ewes along.

thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

You must not hate your brother in your heart. You must surely reprove your fellow citizen so that you do not incur sin on account of him. ¹ 

He enabled him ¹  to travel over the high terrain of the land, and he ate of the produce of the fields. He provided honey for him from the cliffs, ²  and olive oil ³  from the hardest of ⁴  rocks, ⁵ 

As for Nob, the city of the priests, he struck down with the sword men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep – all with the sword.

Yes, you are the one who brought me out ¹  from the womb and made me feel secure on my mother’s breasts.

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

So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don’t spare ¹  them. Put them to death – man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.’”

He said, “About this time next year ¹  you will be holding a son.” She said, “No, my master! O prophet, do not lie to your servant!”

Shout for joy, O sky! ¹  Rejoice, O earth! Let the mountains give a joyful shout! For the Lord consoles his people and shows compassion to the ²  oppressed.

ת (Tav) As if it were a feast day, you call ¹  enemies ²  to terrify me ³  on every side. ⁴  On the day of the Lord’s anger no one escaped or survived. My enemy has finished off those healthy infants whom I bore ⁵  and raised. ⁶ 

There is no other God like you! ¹  You ²  forgive sin and pardon ³  the rebellion of those who remain among your people. ⁴  You do not remain angry forever, ⁵  but delight in showing loyal love.