Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me ¹  a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint ²  could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”

When they ¹  moved, they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved; in the direction the head would turn they would follow ²  without turning as they moved,

And wherever he would go – into villages, towns, or countryside – they would place the sick in the marketplaces, and would ask him if ¹  they could just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

When the stronger females were in heat, ¹  Jacob would set up the branches in the troughs in front of the flock, so they would mate near the branches.

They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring ¹  to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

And ¹  whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord ²  would speak with Moses. ³ 

Would they have enough if the flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? If all the fish of the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”

They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses. ¹ 

When Achish would ask, “Where ¹  did you raid today?” David would say, “The Negev of Judah” or “The Negev of Jeharmeel” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”

Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit ¹  of their brothers!”

Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old, ¹  male or female.

Then I would yet have my comfort, ¹  then ²  I would rejoice, ³  in spite of pitiless pain, ⁴  for ⁵  I have not concealed the words ⁶  of the Holy One. ⁷ 

“O that ¹  you would hide me in Sheol, ²  and conceal me till your anger has passed! ³  O that you would set me a time ⁴  and then remember me! ⁵ 

Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord’s favor in the land of the living? ¹ 

If I were to ascend ¹  to heaven, you would be there. If I were to sprawl out in Sheol, there you would be. ² 

If I tried to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Even if I finished counting them, I would still have to contend with you. ¹ 

If the Lord who commands armies ¹  had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly become like Sodom, ²  we would have become like Gomorrah.

I am not angry. I wish I could confront some thorns and briers! Then I would march against them ¹  for battle; I would set them ²  all on fire,

If only you had obeyed my ¹  commandments, prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, ²  deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea. ³ 

Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, ¹  and your children ²  like its granules. Their name would not have been cut off and eliminated from my presence. ³