You must not take a woman in marriage and then marry her sister as a rival wife ¹  while she is still alive, ²  to have sexual intercourse with her.

Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, ¹  for the Lord had not enabled her to have children.

The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it, nor could the fir trees ¹  match its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches; no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty.

(although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), ¹ 

Ephraim’s jealousy will end, ¹  and Judah’s hostility ²  will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.

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 Ammonites assembled ¹  and camped in Gilead; the Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpah.

If ¹  I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy ²  or exulted ³  because calamity ⁴  found him –

Confuse them, ¹  O Lord! Frustrate their plans! ²  For I see violence and conflict in the city.

My zeal ¹  consumes ²  me, for my enemies forget your instructions. ³ 

They have sunk deep into corruption ¹  as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their wrongdoing. He will repay them for their sins.

It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?” ¹  When he said this, they calmed down. ² 

May your family ¹  become like the family of Perez ²  – whom Tamar bore to Judah – through the descendants ³  the Lord gives you by this young woman.”

Peninnah ¹  would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah ²  went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah ³  would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat.

The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! ¹  The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David!

You multiplied their descendants like the stars of the sky. You brought them to the land you had told their ancestors to enter in order to possess.

Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, ¹  on the kingdoms that do not pray to you! ² 

The first to state his case ¹  seems ²  right, until his opponent ³  begins to ⁴  cross-examine him. ⁵ 

His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.

Indeed, the Lord who commands armies has planned a day of judgment, ¹  for ²  all the high and mighty, for all who are proud – they will be humiliated;