when they see your pure and reverent conduct. ¹ 

For ¹  who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, ¹  and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called ²  Hormah.

We put all of these under divine judgment ¹  just as we had done to King Sihon of Heshbon – every occupied city, ²  including women and children.

The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon ¹  and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath. ²  So people now call the city Hormah. ³ 

Do this: ¹  exterminate every male, as well as every woman who has had sexual relations with a male. ²  But spare the lives of any virgins.” So they did as instructed. ³ 

The high places were not eliminated, yet Asa was wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord throughout his lifetime. ¹ 

He says, ¹  “Indeed, my sword has slaughtered heavenly powers. ²  Look, it now descends on Edom, ³  on the people I will annihilate in judgment.”

But those whose hearts are devoted to detestable things and abominations, I hereby repay them for what they have done, ¹  says the sovereign Lord.”

Now when Silas and Timothy arrived ¹  from Macedonia, ²  Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming ³  the word, testifying ⁴  to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ⁵ 

nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ¹  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ²  that operates by faith.

Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress. ¹ 

So I, the Lord, affirm that ¹  I will send for all the peoples of the north ²  and my servant, ³  King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and all the nations that surround it. I will utterly destroy ⁴  this land, its inhabitants, and all the nations that surround it ⁵  and make them everlasting ruins. ⁶  I will make them objects of horror and hissing scorn. ⁷ 

He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agag’s people ¹  with the sword.

So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. ¹ 

However, the high places were not eliminated; the people were still not devoted to the God of their ancestors. ¹ 

“To the one in despair, kindness ¹  should come from his friend ²  even if ³  he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

“As for you, ¹  if you prove faithful, ²  and if ³  you stretch out your hands toward him, ⁴ 

I know, Lord, that your regulations ¹  are just. You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me. ² 

The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous ¹  will flourish like a green leaf. ²