Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain ¹  that your descendants will be strangers ²  in a foreign country. ³  They will be enslaved and oppressed ⁴  for four hundred years.

They ruthlessly oppressed ¹  the Israelites that eighteenth year ²  – that is, all the Israelites living east of the Jordan in Amorite country in Gilead.

The Lord attacked ¹  the residents of Ashdod severely, bringing devastation on them. He struck the people of ²  both Ashdod and the surrounding area with sores. ³ 

When Azariah the high priest and the other priests looked at ¹  him, there was a skin disease on his forehead. They hurried him out of there; even the king ²  himself wanted to leave quickly because the Lord had afflicted him.

He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket; ¹  he lies in ambush, waiting to catch ²  the oppressed; he catches the oppressed ³  by pulling in his net. ⁴ 

So I ¹  began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter, the most afflicted ²  of all the flock. Then I took two staffs, ³  calling one “Pleasantness” ⁴  and the other “Binders,” ⁵  and I tended the flock.

when God arose to execute judgment, and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)

A prayer of David. Listen ²  O Lord! Answer me! For I am oppressed and needy.

It is better to be lowly in spirit ¹  with the afflicted than to share the spoils ²  with the proud.

Fearing the Lord ¹  leads ²  to life, ³  and one who does so will live ⁴  satisfied; he will not be afflicted ⁵  by calamity.

for the Lord will plead their case ¹  and will rob those who are robbing ²  them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.

For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him.

Jesus then ¹  asked him, “What is your name?” He ²  said, “Legion,” ³  because many demons had entered him.

For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹ 

Grieve, mourn, ¹  and weep. Turn your laughter ²  into mourning and your joy into despair.

The generation to come – your descendants who will rise up after you, as well as the foreigner who will come from distant places – will see ¹  the afflictions of that land and the illnesses that the Lord has brought on it.

But after it had been moved the Lord attacked ¹  that city as well, causing a great deal of panic. He struck all the people of that city ²  with sores. ³ 

They lament, ¹  ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, ²  you oppress your workers. ³ 

The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.