Like a cage filled with the birds that have been caught, ¹  their houses are filled with the gains of their fraud and deceit. ²  That is how they have gotten so rich and powerful. ³ 

I, the Lord, affirm that ¹  I know how arrogant they are. But their pride is ill-founded. Their boastings will prove to be false. ² 

So the sons of Jacob did for him just as he had instructed them.

You must not worship the Lord your God the way they worship.

chase them with your gale winds, and terrify ¹  them with your windstorm.

For this reason ¹  I love your commands more than gold, even purest gold.

פ (Pe) Your rules are marvelous. Therefore I observe them.

Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows in a warrior’s hand. ¹ 

True ¹  righteousness leads to ²  life, but the one who pursues evil pursues it ³  to his own death. ⁴ 

They look like horses; ¹  they charge ahead like war horses.

And let me get ¹  a bit of food ²  so that you may refresh yourselves ³  since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” ⁴  “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”

So the Israelites did so, and expelled them outside the camp. As the Lord had spoken ¹  to Moses, so the Israelites did.

But he does not agree with this, his mind does not reason this way, ¹  for his goal is to destroy, and to eliminate many nations. ² 

So a treaty curse ¹  devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. ²  This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, ³  and are reduced to just a handful of people. ⁴ 

You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’ so you will indeed flee. You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’ so your pursuers will be fast.

But the sovereign Lord helps me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; ¹  I know I will not be put to shame.

So my heart moans for Moab like a flute playing a funeral song. Yes, like a flute playing a funeral song, my heart moans for the people of Kir Heres. For the wealth they have gained will perish.

For this reason the law lacks power, ¹  and justice is never carried out. ²  Indeed, ³  the wicked intimidate ⁴  the innocent. ⁵  For this reason justice is perverted. ⁶ 

The Israelites did so, and they gathered – some more, some less.

This is the way it used to be continually: The cloud would cover it by day, ¹  and there was a fiery appearance by night.