He said to the people of Judah: ¹  “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. ²  The land remains ours because we have followed ³  the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” ⁴  So they built the cities ⁵  and prospered.

I said, ¹  “Oh, the feeling in the pit of my stomach! ²  I writhe in anguish. Oh, the pain in my heart! ³  My heart pounds within me. I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet; ⁴  the sound of the battle cry pierces my soul! ⁵ 

“At that time ¹  I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creatures that crawl on the ground. I will abolish ²  the warrior’s bow and sword – that is, every weapon of warfare ³  – from the land, and I will allow them to live securely.” ⁴ 

Silently the man watched her with interest to determine ¹  if the Lord had made his journey successful ²  or not.

“Is he well?” ¹  Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well. ²  Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, ¹  he hardened ²  his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. ³ 

“You are to say to them: ‘Any man ¹  from the house of Israel or ²  from the foreigners who reside ³  in their ⁴  midst, who offers ⁵  a burnt offering or a sacrifice

Israel lives in safety, the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, ¹  in a land of grain and new wine; indeed, its heavens ²  rain down dew. ³ 

She nagged him ¹  every day and pressured him until he was sick to death of it. ² 

They stopped ¹  there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah), ²  and asked him how he was doing. ³ 

When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. ¹ 

All the people of Judah and Israel had security; everyone from Dan to Beer Sheba enjoyed the produce of their vines and fig trees throughout Solomon’s lifetime. ¹ 

He said, “Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon ¹  or the Sabbath.” She said, “Everything’s fine.” ² 

So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” ¹ 

They found fertile and rich pasture; the land was very broad, undisturbed and peaceful. Indeed some Hamites had been living there prior to that.

And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing ¹  and what might happen to her.

I was in peace, and he has shattered me. ¹  He has seized me by the neck and crushed me. ²  He has made me his target;

But if God ¹  is quiet, who can condemn ²  him? If he hides his face, then who can see him? Yet ³  he is over the individual and the nation alike, ⁴ 

Even my close friend ¹  whom I trusted, he who shared meals with me, has turned against me. ² 

He says, ¹  “Stop your striving and recognize ²  that I am God! I will be exalted ³  over ⁴  the nations! I will be exalted over ⁵  the earth!”