“I am the Lord your God, he who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery.

These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind,

So keep the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that I today am commanding you to do.

and to keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes that I am giving ¹  you today for your own good?

Be certain to keep all the statutes and ordinances that I am presenting to you today.

Therefore, I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.

It is not with you alone that I am making this covenant by oath,

For I raise up my hand to heaven, and say, ‘As surely as I live forever,

Now yes, it is true that ¹  I am a guardian, ²  but there is another guardian who is a closer relative than I am.

This ought not to be, ¹  my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good.

Samuel replied, “If that is the case, ¹  then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?”

Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!”

Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you ¹  reaches me.”

Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine, ¹  I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”

¹ ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean ²  and have no iniquity.

He says, ¹  “Stop your striving and recognize ²  that I am God! I will be exalted ³  over ⁴  the nations! I will be exalted over ⁵  the earth!”

He says: ¹  “Listen my people! I am speaking! Listen Israel! I am accusing you! ²  I am God, your God!

When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear, ¹  I make its pillars secure.” ²  (Selah)

I am the Lord, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!’

Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! ¹  Truly I am God, I have no peer; ²  I am God, and there is none like me,