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.

the Angel ¹  who has protected me ²  from all harm – bless these boys. May my name be named in them, ³  and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. May they grow into a multitude on the earth.”

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 

Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. ¹  Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore.

My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.

When the men of Judah ¹  arrived at the observation post overlooking the desert and looked at ²  the huge army, they saw dead bodies on the ground; there were no survivors!

Therefore my ¹  people will be deported ²  because of their lack of understanding. Their ³  leaders will have nothing to eat, ⁴  their ⁵  masses will have nothing to drink. ⁶ 

“Meshech-Tubal is there, along with all her hordes around her grave. ¹  All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword, for they spread their terror in the land of the living.

After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

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.

I said to myself, ‘Age ¹  should speak, ²  and length of years ³  should make wisdom known.’

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.

Though he causes us ¹  grief, he then has compassion on us ²  according to the abundance of his loyal kindness. ³ 

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.