Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. ¹  He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy ²  the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. ³ 

We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing ¹  to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors ²  made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”’ ³ 

David thought to himself, ¹  “One of these days I’m going to be swept away by the hand of Saul! There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me through all the territory of Israel and I will escape from his hand.”

But the thought of striking out against ¹  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ²  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ³  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ⁴  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Never again will one of her infants live just a few days ¹  or an old man die before his time. ²  Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, ³  anyone who fails to reach ⁴  the age of a hundred will be considered cursed.

I thought, ¹  ‘Certainly you will respect ²  me! Now you will accept correction!’ If she had done so, her home ³  would not be destroyed ⁴  by all the punishments I have threatened. ⁵  But they eagerly sinned in everything they did. ⁶ 

When he had contemplated this, an ¹  angel of the Lord ²  appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Then God took note of ¹  Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. ² 

His brothers were jealous ¹  of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said. ² 

And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. He did not pay any attention to this. ¹ 

I thought this was a good idea, ¹  so I sent ²  twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.

As for the Levites in your villages, you must not ignore them, for they have no allotment or inheritance along with you.

You have forgotten ¹  the Rock who fathered you, and put out of mind the God who gave you birth.

“I said, ‘I want to cut them in pieces. ¹  I want to make people forget they ever existed.

I wish that they were wise and could understand this, and that they could comprehend what will happen to them.”

You who ride on light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, ¹  you who walk on the road, pay attention!

David thought about what they said ¹  and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath.

Sing to him! Make music to him! Tell about all his miraculous deeds!

The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of Memucan.

Then King Ahasuerus responded ¹  to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough ²  to act in this way?”