I have become the laughingstock of all people, ¹  their mocking song ²  all day long. ³ 

Then God said to him, “I am the sovereign God. ¹  Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants! ² 

Judah said, “Let her keep the things ¹  for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. ²  I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

Moses saw that the people were running wild, ¹  for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies. ² 

Many were bringing presents ¹  to the Lord in Jerusalem and precious gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From that time on he was respected by ²  all the nations.

He built royal cities ¹  and owned a large number of sheep and cattle, for God gave him a huge amount of possessions.

And ¹  you will know ²  that your home ³  will be secure, ⁴  and when you inspect ⁵  your domains, you will not be missing ⁶  anything.

Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armies ¹  is about to remove from Jerusalem ²  and Judah every source of security, including ³  all the food and water, ⁴ 

Because she took her prostitution so lightly, she defiled the land ¹  through her adulterous worship of gods made of wood and stone. ² 

Damascus was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods and of all your wealth: wine from Helbon, white wool from Zahar,

They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel ¹  or a widow who is a priest’s widow.

And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship ¹  me.”

“Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. ¹ 

Brothers, ¹  descendants ²  of Abraham’s family, ³  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ⁴  the message ⁵  of this salvation has been sent to us.

“‘If a resident foreigner who is with you prospers ¹  and your brother becomes impoverished with regard to him so that ²  he sells himself to a resident foreigner who is with you or to a member ³  of a foreigner’s family,

houses filled with choice things you did not accumulate, hewn out cisterns you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant – and you eat your fill,

The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. ¹  The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. ² 

Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, ¹  like one of the large sacred trees ²  or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. ³  That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.” ⁴ 

They say to a wooden idol, ¹  ‘You are my father.’ They say to a stone image, ‘You gave birth to me.’ ²  Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me. ³  Yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’

They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery ¹  against their God.