The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person’s innermost being. ¹ 

My heart is crushed because my dear people ¹  are being crushed. ²  I go about crying and grieving. I am overwhelmed with dismay. ³ 

“Edom will become an object of horror. All who pass by it will be filled with horror; they will hiss out their scorn because of all the disasters that have happened to it. ¹ 

The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. ¹  He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there.

Wake up! Wake up! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the Lord! ¹  Wake up as in former times, as in antiquity! Did you not smash ²  the Proud One? ³  Did you not ⁴  wound the sea monster? ⁵ 

Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.

And I will put hostility ¹  between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; ²  her offspring will attack ³  your head, and ⁴  you ⁵  will attack her offspring’s heel.” ⁶ 

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa.

My enemies’ taunts cut into me to the bone, ¹  as they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ² 

But suddenly Babylonia will fall and be destroyed. ¹  Cry out in mourning over it! Get medicine for her wounds! Perhaps she can be healed!

For the power ¹  of the horses resides ²  in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that inflict injuries.

מ (Mem) With what can I equate ¹  you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you ²  so that ³  I might comfort you, O Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep ⁴  as the sea. ⁵  Who can heal you? ⁶ 

When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp.

For the Lord listens to the needy; he does not despise his captive people. ¹ 

The plowers plowed my back; they made their furrows long.

but in the end ¹  she is bitter ²  as wormwood, ³  sharp as a two-edged ⁴  sword.

So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine!

where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.

And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.” ¹ 

The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, ¹  “Unless I see the wounds ²  from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!” ³