I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. ¹  I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!

As if following in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not bad enough, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Then he worshiped and bowed to Baal. ¹ 

It shatters in pieces like a clay jar, so shattered to bits that none of it can be salvaged. ¹  Among its fragments one cannot find a shard large enough ²  to scoop a hot coal from a fire ³  or to skim off water from a cistern.” ⁴ 

Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful; on it there was food enough for all. Under it the wild animals ¹  used to seek shade, and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest. All creatures ²  used to feed themselves from it.

You will eat, but not be satisfied. Even if you have the strength ¹  to overtake some prey, ²  you will not be able to carry it away; ³  if you do happen to carry away something, I will deliver it over to the sword.

Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down ¹  first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose ²  the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need because I received from Epaphroditus what you sent – a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God.

During the seven years of abundance the land produced large, bountiful harvests. ¹ 

¹ “Whoever strikes someone ²  so that he dies ³  must surely be put to death. ⁴ 

They are a nation devoid of wisdom, and there is no understanding among them.

They wander around looking for something to eat; they refuse to sleep until they are full. ¹ 

They ate until they were stuffed; ¹  he gave them what they desired.

a lizard ¹  you can catch with the hand, but it gets into the palaces of the king. ² 

They will say, ¹  ‘This man ²  began to build and was not able to finish!’ ³ 

But ¹  they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’ ² 

and because of his word many more ¹  believed.

But if someone loves God, he ¹  is known by God. ² 

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! ¹ 

But ¹  he said to me, “My grace is enough ²  for you, for my ³  power is made perfect ⁴  in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly ⁵  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in ⁶  me.

When she had done so, ¹  she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.”