Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, ‘Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.’

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp.”

‘“If a man has sexual relations with his aunt, he has dishonoured his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.

If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

an uncle or a cousin or any blood-relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper, they may redeem themselves.

or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he grows rich he may redeem himself.

Zelophehad’s daughters – Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah and Noah – married their cousins on their father’s side.

for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to sons of their father’s brothers.

For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

About Benjamin he said:

‘Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.’

Of Benjamin he said,

“The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety.
The High God surrounds him all day long,
and dwells between his shoulders.”

As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?’

As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?”

Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, ‘Where have you been?’

‘Looking for the donkeys,’ he said. ‘But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.’

Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said “To seek the donkeys. And when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”

Saul’s uncle said, ‘Tell me what Samuel said to you.’

And Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

Saul replied, ‘He assured us that the donkeys had been found.’ But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.

Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.’ Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared.

Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle.

And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.”’

Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’”

He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counsellor, a man of insight and a scribe. Jehiel son of Hakmoni took care of the king’s sons.

Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, being a man of understanding and a scribe. He and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni attended the king’s sons.

So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value – more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Hezekiah had very great wealth and honour, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables.

And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly vessels;

In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, together with articles of value from the temple of the Lord, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.

In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the Lord, and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.

And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels.

Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favour of everyone who saw her.

When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer.

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.

That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer us!

How lovely is your dwelling-place,
Lord Almighty!

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!

Then they despised the pleasant land;
they did not believe his promise.

Then they despised the pleasant land,
having no faith in his promise.

Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.

That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat –
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!

Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth –
for your love is more delightful than wine.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine;

Take me away with you – let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.
We rejoice and delight in you;
we will praise your love more than wine.
How right they are to adore you!

Draw me after you; let us run.
The king has brought me into his chambers.
We will exult and rejoice in you;
we will extol your love more than wine;
rightly do they love you.

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
resting between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
that lies between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
in the vineyards of Engedi.

How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.

Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.
Our couch is green;

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest
is my beloved among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.

As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

Listen! My beloved!
Look! Here he comes,
leaping across the mountains,
bounding over the hills.

The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look! There he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattice.

My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Behold, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
looking through the lattice.

My beloved spoke and said to me,
‘Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.

My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,

My beloved is mine and I am his;
he browses among the lilies.

My beloved is mine, and I am his;
he grazes among the lilies.

Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the rugged hills.

Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
or a young stag on cleft mountains.

How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much more pleasing is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your perfume
more than any spice!

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!

Awake, north wind,
and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,
that its fragrance may spread everywhere.
Let my beloved come into his garden
and taste its choice fruits.

Awake, O north wind,
and come, O south wind!
Blow upon my garden,
let its spices flow.
Let my beloved come to his garden,
and eat its choicest fruits.

I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Eat, friends, and drink;
drink your fill of love.

I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,
I gathered my myrrh with my spice,
I ate my honeycomb with my honey,
I drank my wine with my milk.
Eat, friends, drink,
and be drunk with love!

I slept but my heart was awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
my dove, my flawless one.
My head is drenched with dew,
my hair with the dampness of the night.’

I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night.”

My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;
my heart began to pound for him.

My beloved put his hand to the latch,
and my heart was thrilled within me.

I arose to open for my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.

I arose to open to my beloved,
and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh,
on the handles of the bolt.

I opened for my beloved,
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure.
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.

I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke.
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you –
if you find my beloved,
what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
if you find my beloved,
that you tell him
I am sick with love.

How is your beloved better than others,
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you so charge us?

What is your beloved more than another beloved,
O most beautiful among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved,
that you thus adjure us?

My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.

My beloved is radiant and ruddy,
distinguished among ten thousand.

His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my beloved, this is my friend,
daughters of Jerusalem.

His mouth is most sweet,
and he is altogether desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.

Where has your beloved gone,
most beautiful of women?
Which way did your beloved turn,
that we may look for him with you?

Where has your beloved gone,
O most beautiful among women?
Where has your beloved turned,
that we may seek him with you?

My beloved has gone down to his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to browse in the gardens
and to gather lilies.

My beloved has gone down to his garden
to the beds of spices,
to graze in the gardens
and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
he browses among the lilies.

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
he grazes among the lilies.

and your mouth like the best wine.
May the wine go straight to my beloved,
flowing gently over lips and teeth.

and your mouth like the best wine.
It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
gliding over lips and teeth.

I belong to my beloved,
and his desire is for me.

I am my beloved’s,
and his desire is for me.

Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside,
let us spend the night in the villages.

Come, my beloved,
let us go out into the fields
and lodge in the villages;

Let us go early to the vineyards
to see if the vines have budded,
if their blossoms have opened,
and if the pomegranates are in bloom –
there I will give you my love.

let us go out early to the vineyards
and see whether the vines have budded,
whether the grape blossoms have opened
and the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.

The mandrakes send out their fragrance,
and at our door is every delicacy,
both new and old,
that I have stored up for you, my beloved.

The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
and beside our doors are all choice fruits,
new as well as old,
which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

Who is this coming up from the wilderness
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labour gave you birth.

Who is that coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I awakened you.
There your mother was in labor with you;
there she who bore you was in labor.