who loves me ¹  and is my stronghold, my refuge ²  and my deliverer, my shield and the one in whom I take shelter, who makes nations submit to me. ³ 

He said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful ¹  and will multiply you. ²  I will make you into a group of nations, and I will give this land to your descendants ³  as an everlasting possession.’ ⁴ 

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, ¹  until he comes to whom it belongs; ²  the nations will obey him. ³ 

Now listen to me, ¹  I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, ²  and you bring ³  their disputes ⁴  to God;

the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he ¹  has scattered you.

The Lord drove out from before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship ¹  the Lord, for he is our God!”

the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;

the men of Bethel ¹  and Ai: 223;

the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

the men of Bethel ¹  and Ai, 123;

The nobles of the nations assemble, along with the people of the God of Abraham, ¹  for God has authority over the rulers ²  of the earth. He is highly exalted! ³ 

His battle cry overwhelms like a flooding river ¹  that reaches one’s neck. He shakes the nations in a sieve that isolates the chaff; ²  he puts a bit into the mouth of the nations and leads them to destruction. ³ 

“Listen to me in silence, you coastlands! ¹  Let the nations find renewed strength! Let them approach and then speak; let us come together for debate! ² 

Since you are precious and special in my sight, ¹  and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life.

And in his name the Gentiles ¹  will hope.” ² 

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. ¹ 

So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding ¹  to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise ²  people.”

When you look up ¹  to the sky ²  and see the sun, moon, and stars – the whole heavenly creation ³  – you must not be seduced to worship and serve them, ⁴  for the Lord your God has assigned ⁵  them to all the people ⁶  of the world. ⁷ 

the great judgments ¹  you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power ²  by which he ³  brought you out – thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.

But you banished ¹  the Lord’s priests, Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods! ²