“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, ¹  Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were ²  gone.” ³ 

Blessed is ¹  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

so that now instead ¹  you should rather forgive and comfort him. ²  This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. ³ 

And Jesus who is called Justus also sends greetings. In terms of Jewish converts, ¹  these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

Then Isaac brought Rebekah ¹  into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her ²  as his wife and loved her. ³  So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ⁴ 

But Abraham said, ‘Child, ¹  remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. ² 

I chose ¹  the way for them ²  and sat as their chief; ³  I lived like a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners. ⁴ 

So I say: “Don’t look at me! ¹  I am weeping bitterly. Don’t try ²  to console me concerning the destruction of my defenseless people.” ³ 

For just as the sufferings ¹  of Christ ²  overflow ³  toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. ⁴ 

When worries threaten to overwhelm me, ¹  your soothing touch makes me happy. ² 

“But woe ¹  to you who are rich, for you have received ²  your comfort ³  already.

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, ¹  encouragement, and consolation.

Shout for joy, O sky! ¹  Rejoice, O earth! Let the mountains give a joyful shout! For the Lord consoles his people and shows compassion to the ²  oppressed.

The Lord says, “A sound is heard in Ramah, ¹  a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.” ² 

ע (Ayin) I weep because of these things; my eyes ¹  flow with tears. ²  For there is no one in sight who can comfort me ³  or encourage me. ⁴  My children ⁵  are desolated ⁶  because an enemy has prevailed.

פ (Pe) Zion spread out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob; his neighbors ¹  have become his enemies. Jerusalem has become like filthy garbage ²  in their midst. ³ 

“O afflicted one, driven away, ¹  and unconsoled! Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.

“Pharaoh will see them and be consoled over all his hordes who were killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army, declares the sovereign Lord.

Then ¹  the church throughout Judea, Galilee, ²  and Samaria experienced ³  peace and thus was strengthened. ⁴  Living ⁵  in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church ⁶  increased in numbers.

And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in ¹  our sufferings, so also you will share in ²  our comfort.