The king ¹  ordered, “Go, find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him.” ²  The king was told, “He is in Dothan.”

But the news about him spread even more, ¹  and large crowds were gathering together to hear him ²  and to be healed of their illnesses.

I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! ¹  Your wisdom and wealth ²  surpass what was reported to me.

David told Joab and the leaders of the army, ¹  “Go, count the number of warriors ²  from Beer Sheba to Dan. Then bring back a report to me so I may know how many we have.” ³ 

I did not believe these things until I came and saw them with my own eyes. Indeed, I didn’t hear even half the story! ¹  Your wisdom surpasses what was reported to me.

He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I ¹  would be discredited. ² 

Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you; indeed, ¹  every morning it will sweep by, it will come through during the day and the night.” ²  When this announcement is understood, it will cause nothing but terror.

so that the word ¹  of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled. He said, ²  “Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord ³  been revealed?” ⁴ 

Can you send out lightning bolts, and they go? Will they say to you, ‘Here we are’?

A bright look ¹  brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the body. ² 

Therefore we are sending ¹  Judas and Silas ²  who will tell you these things themselves in person. ³ 

Lord, I have heard the report of what you did; ¹  I am awed, ²  Lord, by what you accomplished. ³  In our time ⁴  repeat those deeds; ⁵  in our time reveal them again. ⁶  But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us mercy! ⁷ 

Then they took ¹  some of the produce of the land and carried it back down to us. They also brought a report to us, saying, “The land that the Lord our God is about to give us is good.”

They told him, “Your subjects ¹  have come from a very distant land because of the reputation ²  of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt ³ 

Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”

Look, I will take control of his mind; ¹  he will receive ²  a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down ³  with a sword in his own land.”’”

Look, I will take control of his mind; ¹  he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down ²  with a sword in his own land.”’”

Listen! News is coming even now. ¹  The rumble of a great army is heard approaching ²  from a land in the north. ³  It is coming to turn the towns of Judah into rubble, places where only jackals live.

David said to the young man who told this to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner.” ¹ 

Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together for me in three days, ¹  and you be present here with them too.”