to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. ¹  God saw that it was good.

You may give them as inheritance to your children after you to possess as property. You may enslave them perpetually. However, as for your brothers the Israelites, no man may rule over his brother harshly. ¹ 

The prophets prophesy lies. The priests exercise power by their own authority. ¹  And my people love to have it this way. But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes! ² 

“Then the king of the south ¹  and one of his subordinates ²  will grow strong. His subordinate ³  will resist ⁴  him and will rule a kingdom greater than his. ⁵ 

So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day. ¹  At that same time Libnah also rebelled.

May he rule ¹  from sea to sea, ²  and from the Euphrates River ³  to the ends of the earth!

and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

(Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.)

Nevertheless, let us live up to the standard ¹  that we have already attained. ² 

Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior; ¹  his military power establishes his rule. ²  Look, his reward is with him; his prize goes before him. ³ 

To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase ¹  your labor pains; ²  with pain you will give birth to children. You will want to control your husband, ³  but he will dominate ⁴  you.”

I will set my face against you. You will be struck down before your enemies, those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when there is no one pursuing you.

And now, what do we have here?” ¹  says the Lord. “Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” ²  says the Lord, “and my name is constantly slandered ³  all day long.

“Tell ¹  all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want ²  to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’” ³ 

So the Lord’s word to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. ¹  As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, ²  and be injured, ensnared, and captured. ³ 

From that time onward it was a binding ordinance ¹  for Israel, right up to the present time.

(Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.)

Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper. ¹ 

But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God?

Manoah said, “Now, when your announcement comes true, ¹  how should the child be raised and what should he do?” ²