Now ¹  when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed ²  because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.

But the servant said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected. Everything that he says really happens. ¹  Now let’s go there. Perhaps he will tell us where we should go from here.” ² 

At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival before the Lord our God for two entire weeks. This great assembly included people from all over the land, from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt ¹  in the south. ² 

“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day it ¹  went down to Sheol I caused observers to lament. ²  I covered it with the deep and held back its rivers; its plentiful water was restrained. I clothed Lebanon in black for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it.

“‘When a person sins ¹  in that he hears a public curse against one who fails to testify ²  and he is a witness (he either saw or knew what had happened ³ ) and he does not make it known, ⁴  then he will bear his punishment for iniquity. ⁵ 

“If a person sins and violates any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated ¹  (although he did not know it at the time, ²  but later realizes he is guilty), then he will bear his punishment for iniquity ³ 

Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke: ‘Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, ¹  and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.’” ²  So Aaron kept silent.

I considered these things carefully ¹  and then registered a complaint with the wealthy ²  and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral ³  from your own countrymen!” ⁴  Because of them I called for ⁵  a great public assembly.

Ezra ¹  read in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day to the last. ²  They observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly ³  as was required. ⁴ 

Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? ¹  Because I have been silent for so long, ²  you are not afraid of me. ³ 

So Isaac ¹  held a feast for them and they celebrated. ² 

The rings were close to the frame to provide places for the poles to carry the table.

Then the man will be free from iniquity, but that woman will bear the consequences ¹  of her iniquity.’” ² 

They put him in custody, because there was no clear instruction about what should be done to him.

But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign, such a Passover of the Lord was observed in Jerusalem.

For we have been sold ¹  – both I and my people – to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”

If I am guilty, ¹  why then ²  weary myself ³  in vain? ⁴ 

the voices of the nobles fell silent, ¹  and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

By David. O Lord, I come before you in prayer. ² 

Evil people self-destruct; ¹  those who hate the godly are punished. ²