lest strangers devour ¹  your strength, ²  and your labor ³  benefit ⁴  another man’s house.

That is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, ¹  and I found you!

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully ¹  what ²  is before you,

because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness ¹  clothes them with rags. ² 

The Beloved about Her Lover: He brought me ¹  into the banquet hall, ²  and he looked ³  at me lovingly. ⁴ 

Lambs ¹  will graze as if in their pastures, amid the ruins the rich sojourners will graze. ² 

I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. ¹  My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”

The Babylonians are all like lions roaring for prey. They are like lion cubs growling for something to eat. ¹ 

Therefore they will now be the first to go into exile, ¹  and the religious banquets ²  where they sprawl on couches ³  will end.

“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over ¹  to be crucified.” ² 

For I tell you, not one of those individuals ¹  who were invited ²  will taste my banquet!’” ³ 

Likewise, just as it was ¹  in the days of Lot, people ²  were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;

Then the day for the feast ¹  of Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ² 

Now ¹  when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

But the next morning, the second day of the new moon, David’s place was still vacant. So Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has Jesse’s son not come to the meal yesterday or today?”

If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined ¹  to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time ²  I will do as the king wishes. ³ 

Haman said, “Furthermore, Queen Esther invited ¹  only me to accompany the king to the banquet that she prepared! And also tomorrow I am invited ²  along with the king.

Then you will find joy in your relationship to the Lord, ¹  and I will give you great prosperity, ²  and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” ³  Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. ⁴ 

Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom on account of your splendor. I threw you down to the ground; I placed you before kings, that they might see you.

“I will punish her for the festival days when she burned incense to the Baal idols; ¹  she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but ²  she forgot me!” ³  says the Lord.