For the king of the north will again muster an army, one larger than before. At the end of some years he will advance with a huge army and enormous supplies.

Then ¹  I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: ²  “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, ³  the All-Powerful, ⁴  reigns!

The Lord your God has increased your population ¹  to the point that you are now as numerous as the very stars of the sky. ² 

The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy.

When worries threaten to overwhelm me, ¹  your soothing touch makes me happy. ² 

I will thank the Lord profusely, ¹  in the middle of a crowd ²  I will praise him,

When words abound, transgression is inevitable, ¹  but the one who restrains ²  his words ³  is wise.

When there is no guidance ¹  a nation falls, but there is success ²  in the abundance of counselors.

I will pour out my anger upon Pelusium, ¹  the stronghold of Egypt; I will cut off ²  the hordes of Thebes.

When ¹  they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him,

Jesus ¹  went out again by the sea. The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them.

The ¹  whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power ²  was coming out from him and healing them all.

A great number of the people followed him, among them women ¹  who were mourning ²  and wailing for him.

But you ¹  said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper ²  and will make ³  your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’” ⁴ 

But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude ¹  of nations.”

One of his advisers replied, “Pick some men and have them take five of the horses that are left in the city. (Even if they are killed, their fate will be no different than that of all the Israelite people – we’re all going to die!) ¹  Let’s send them out so we can know for sure what’s going on.” ² 

The many nations massing together are as good as dead, ¹  those who make a commotion as loud as the roaring of the sea’s waves. ²  The people making such an uproar are as good as dead, ³  those who make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves. ⁴ 

“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his hordes: “‘Who are you like in your greatness?

I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.

“Pharaoh will see them and be consoled over all his hordes who were killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army, declares the sovereign Lord.