Then the Israelites said to him, “We will go along the highway, and if we ¹  or our cattle drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We will only pass through on our feet, without doing anything else.”

If you happen to notice a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a tree or on the ground, and there are chicks or eggs with the mother bird sitting on them, ¹  you must not take the mother from the young. ² 

I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy ¹  along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger ²  is against everyone who forsakes him.”

The Lord said to his people: ¹  “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. ²  Ask where the old, reliable paths ³  are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing ⁴  and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” But they said, “We will not follow it!”

Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

Joshua left those nations ¹  to test ²  Israel. I wanted to see ³  whether or not the people ⁴  would carefully walk in the path ⁵  marked out by ⁶  the Lord, as their ancestors ⁷  were careful to do.”

But the eyes of the wicked fail, ¹  and escape ²  eludes them; their one hope ³  is to breathe their last.” ⁴ 

The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. ¹  The rules set down by the Lord ²  are reliable ³  and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. ⁴ 

You allowed men to ride over our heads; we passed through fire and water, but you brought us out into a wide open place. ¹ 

I will walk in ¹  the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. ² 

Proud men hide a snare for me; evil men ¹  spread a net by the path; they set traps for me. (Selah)

The highway ¹  of the upright is to turn ²  away from evil; the one who guards ³  his way safeguards his life. ⁴ 

Turn aside from the way, stray off the path. ¹  Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.” ² 

Highways are empty, ¹  there are no travelers. ²  Treaties are broken, ³  witnesses are despised, ⁴  human life is treated with disrespect. ⁵ 

No lions will be there, no ferocious wild animals will be on it ¹  – they will not be found there. Those delivered from bondage will travel on it,

“I will go before you and level mountains. ¹  Bronze doors I will shatter and iron bars ²  I will hack through.

The priests will not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or was torn to pieces by a wild animal. ¹ 

On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, ¹  they went back by another route to their own country.

You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.