Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. ¹  When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”

The real mother ¹  spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. ²  She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” ³  But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!”

The king pled with ¹  the prophet, ²  “Seek the favor of ³  the Lord your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored.” So the prophet sought the Lord’s favor ⁴  and the king’s hand was restored to its former condition. ⁵ 

David said to God, “Was I not the one who decided to number the army? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed! ¹  As for these sheep – what have they done? O Lord my God, attack me and my family, ²  but remove the plague from your people!” ³ 

Is this really the kind of fasting I want? ¹  Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, ²  bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out ³  on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord?

Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke privately to Gedaliah there at Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah before anyone knows about it. Otherwise he will kill you ¹  and all the Judeans who have rallied around you will be scattered. Then what remains of Judah will disappear.”

ד (Dalet) He prepared his bow ¹  like an enemy; his right hand was ready to shoot. ²  Like a foe he killed everyone, even our strong young men; ³  he has poured out his anger like fire on the tent ⁴  of Daughter Zion.

O Lord, according to all your justice, ¹  please turn your raging anger ²  away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.

but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. ¹  So Cain became very angry, ²  and his expression was downcast. ³ 

the sons of God ¹  saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.

Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.”

They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down ¹  the first time ²  to buy food.

So God treated the midwives well, ¹  and the people multiplied and became very strong.

“‘When you sacrifice a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord, you must sacrifice it so that it is accepted for you. ¹ 

if it is to be acceptable for your benefit ¹  it must be a flawless male from the cattle, sheep, or goats.

You must not present anything that has a flaw, ¹  because it will not be acceptable for your benefit. ² 

When you sacrifice a thanksgiving offering to the Lord, you must sacrifice it so that it is acceptable for your benefit. ¹ 

“Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, ¹  appoint ²  a man over the community,

Make sure you do not offer burnt offerings in any place you wish,

Now be careful! Do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat any food that will make you ritually unclean. ¹