so she said to Abram, ‘The  Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.’

Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the  Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

for the  Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.

For the  Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.

Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;

and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.

Then the  Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the  Lord is giving you.

then the anger of the  Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the  Lord is giving you.

The  Lord will vindicate his people
and relent concerning his servants
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave or free.

For the  Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone
and there is none remaining, bond or free.

Manoah said to the angel of the  Lord, ‘We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.’

Manoah said to the angel of the  Lord, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.”

The angel of the  Lord replied, ‘Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the  Lord.’ (Manoah did not realise that it was the angel of the  Lord.)

And the angel of the  Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the  Lord.” (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the  Lord.)

As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came towards him shouting. The Spirit of the  Lord came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands.

When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the  Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands.

When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the  Lord said to him, ‘This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.’

When Samuel saw Saul, the  Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”

David replied, ‘Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!’

And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?”

Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the  Lord; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief shepherd.

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the  Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s herdsmen.

Araunah said, ‘Why has my lord the king come to his servant?’

‘To buy your threshing-floor,’ David answered, ‘so that I can build an altar to the  Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.’

And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the  Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.”

David built an altar to the  Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the  Lord answered his prayer on behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

And David built there an altar to the  Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the  Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.

‘When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray towards this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,

“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,

‘“Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel – slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone.

therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone.

The seventh time the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’

So Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, “Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”’

And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”

He says, “I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free.

Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.

She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, ‘Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.’

Then she saddled the donkey, and she said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”

The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free.

For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.

The  Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them.

For the  Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter for there was none left, bond or free, and there was none to help Israel.

But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.

But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.

These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle;

Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war.

David said to him, ‘Let me have the site of your threshing-floor so that I can build an altar to the  Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.’

And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the  Lord—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”

‘But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?

‘When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray towards this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,

“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them,

‘When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people,

Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the  Lord struck him down and he died.

Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the  Lord struck him down and he died.

Then Asa called to the  Lord his God and said, ‘ Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.’

And Asa cried to the  Lord his God, “O  Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O  Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O  Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”

Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the  Lord will destroy what you have made.’ The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.

Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the  Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, ‘He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the  Lord with all his heart.’ So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom.

He searched for Ahaziah, and he was captured while hiding in Samaria, and he was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought the  Lord with all his heart.” And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.

Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.

Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”

One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, ‘Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you – by night they are coming to kill you.’

Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.”

‘If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
But who can keep from speaking?

“If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
Yet who can keep from speaking?

If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.

If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.

the chief men refrained from speaking
and covered their mouths with their hands;

the princes refrained from talking
and laid their hand on their mouth;

‘Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades
or loose the cords of Orion?

‘Who let the wild donkey go free?
Who untied its ropes?

“Who has let the wild donkey go free?
Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,

‘Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.’

“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”

They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.

For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.

But Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was checked.

Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.

He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.

Truly I am your servant,  Lord;
I serve you just as my mother did;
you have freed me from my chains.

O  Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.

I find more bitter than death
the woman who is a snare,
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.

And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

Now stop your mocking,
or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the  Lord Almighty, has told me
of the destruction decreed against the whole land.

Now therefore do not scoff,
lest your bonds be made strong;
for I have heard a decree of destruction
from the Lord  God of hosts against the whole land.

Shake off your dust;
rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
Daughter Zion, now a captive.

Shake yourself from the dust and arise;
be seated, O Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.

‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?

Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?’ says the  Lord.
‘Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?’ says your God.

Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”
says the  Lord;
“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”
says your God.

‘Long ago you broke off your yoke
and tore off your bonds;
you said, “I will not serve you!”
Indeed, on every high hill
and under every spreading tree
you lay down as a prostitute.

“For long ago I broke your yoke
and burst your bonds;
but you said, ‘I will not serve.’
Yes, on every high hill
and under every green tree
you bowed down like a whore.

So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the  Lord,
the requirements of their God.’
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.

I will go to the great
and will speak to them,
for they know the way of the  Lord,
the justice of their God.”
But they all alike had broken the yoke;
they had burst the bonds.

But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word
or speak any more in his name,’
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.

If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.

this is what the  Lord said to me: ‘Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck.

Thus the  Lord said to me: “Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck.

‘“In that day,” declares the  Lord Almighty,
“I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;
no longer will foreigners enslave them.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the  Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him.

While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the  Lord came to him a second time:

The word of the  Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard:

Then Jeremiah told Baruch, ‘I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the  Lord’s temple.

And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, “I am banned from going to the house of the  Lord,

They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison.

And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison.

While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the  Lord came to him:

The word of the  Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard:

But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.

‘“Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth.

But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.