therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’

Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was famine in the land. Some of the prophets were visiting him ¹  and he told his servant, “Put the big pot on the fire ²  and boil some stew for the prophets.” ³ 

The shields of his warriors are dyed red; ¹  the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments. ²  The metal fittings ³  of the chariots ⁴  shine like ⁵  fire ⁶  on the day of battle; ⁷  the soldiers brandish ⁸  their spears. ⁹ 

So ¹  he called out, ²  ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus ³  to dip the tip of his finger ⁴  in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish ⁵  in this fire.’ ⁶ 

Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing in the courtyard ¹  warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” ²  Peter ³  denied it: “I am not!”

He leads priests away stripped ¹  and overthrows ²  the potentates. ³ 

Iron is taken from the ground, ¹  and rock is poured out ²  as copper.

a place whose stones are sapphires ¹  and which contains dust of gold; ² 

For I am overcome with shame ¹  and my whole body is sick. ² 

They invade like lumberjacks swinging their axes in a thick forest. ¹ 

Here’s how! ¹  With the sharp arrows of warriors, with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. ² 

They are worthless, mere objects to be mocked. ¹  When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.

We have overpowered them; ¹  Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon. We have shattered them as far as Nophah, which ²  reaches to Medeba.”

The captain of the royal guard took the golden and silver censers ¹  and basins.

the pure gold trimming shears, basins, pans, and censers, and the gold door sockets for the inner sanctuary (the most holy place) and for the doors of the main hall of the temple.

The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. ¹  They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground, where it is thoroughly refined. ² 

At that time ¹  the sovereign master ²  will wash the excrement ³  from Zion’s women, he will rinse the bloodstains from Jerusalem’s midst, ⁴  as he comes to judge and to bring devastation. ⁵ 

I am not angry. I wish I could confront some thorns and briers! Then I would march against them ¹  for battle; I would set them ²  all on fire,

Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; ¹  its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings. ² 

Therefore the Lord who rules over all says, ¹  “I will now purify them in the fires of affliction ²  and test them. The wickedness of my dear people ³  has left me no choice. What else can I do? ⁴