(NIV)
‘And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.
(ESV)
Now therefore let
Pharaoh select a
discerning and
wise man, and
set him
over the
land of
Egypt.
(NIV)
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
(ESV)
Then
Pharaoh said to
Joseph, “
Since God has
shown you
all this, there is
none so
discerning and
wise as you are.
(NIV)
Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.’
(ESV)
Choose for your
tribes wise,
understanding, and
experienced men, and I will
appoint them as your
heads.’
(NIV)
Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
(ESV)
Keep them and
do them,
for that will be your
wisdom and your
understanding in the
sight of the
peoples,
who, when they
hear all these statutes, will
say, ‘
Surely this great nation is a
wise and
understanding people.’
(NIV)
Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you.
(ESV)
Remember the
days of
old;
consider the
years of
many generations;
ask your
father, and he will
show you,
your
elders, and they will
tell you.
(NIV)
In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
(ESV)
“He
found him in a
desert land,
and in the
howling waste of the
wilderness;
he
encircled him, he
cared for him,
he
kept him as the
apple of his
eye.
(NIV)
If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be!
(ESV)
If they were
wise, they would
understand this;
they would
discern their latter
end!
(NIV)
A third time the
Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
Then Eli realised that the
Lord was calling the boy.
(ESV)
And the
Lord called Samuel again the
third time. And he
arose and
went to
Eli and
said, “
Here I am, for you
called me.” Then
Eli perceived that the
Lord was
calling the
boy.
(NIV)
One of the servants answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the
Lord is with him.’
(ESV)
One of the
young men answered, “
Behold, I have
seen a
son of
Jesse the
Bethlehemite, who is
skillful in
playing a
man of
valor, a
man of
war,
prudent in
speech, and a
man of
good presence and the
Lord is
with him.”
(NIV)
David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realised that the child was dead. ‘Is the child dead?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘he is dead.’
(ESV)
But when
David saw that his
servants were
whispering together,
David understood that the
child was
dead. And
David said to his
servants, “Is the
child dead?” They
said, “He is
dead.”
(NIV)
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’
(ESV)
Give your
servant therefore an
understanding mind to
govern your
people, that I may
discern between good and
evil,
for who is
able to
govern this your
great people?”
(NIV)
So God said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,
(ESV)
And
God said to him, “
Because you have
asked this, and have
not asked for yourself
long life or riches or the
life of your
enemies, but have
asked for yourself
understanding to
discern what is
right,
(NIV)
I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
(ESV)
behold I now
do according to your
word.
Behold I
give you a
wise and
discerning mind, so that
none like you has been
before you and
none like you shall
arise after you.
(NIV)
The next morning, I got up to nurse my son – and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.’
(ESV)
When I
rose in the
morning to
nurse my
child,
behold, he was
dead. But when I looked at him
closely in the
morning,
behold, he was
not the
child that I had
borne.”
(NIV)
Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skilful at it.
(ESV)
Chenaniah,
leader of the
Levites in
music, should
direct the
music,
for he
understood it.
(NIV)
Along with their relatives – all of them trained and skilled in music for the
Lord – they numbered 288.
(ESV)
The
number of them along with their
brothers, who were
trained in
singing to the
Lord,
all who were
skillful, was
288.
(NIV)
Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots for their duties.
(ESV)
And they
cast lots for their
duties,
small and
great,
teacher and
pupil alike.
(NIV)
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.
(ESV)
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.
(NIV)
‘And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the
Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you for ever.
(ESV)
“And you,
Solomon my
son,
know the
God of your
father and
serve him with a
whole heart and with a
willing mind for the
Lord searches all hearts and
understands every plan and
thought.
If you
seek him, he will be
found by you, but if you
forsake him, he will cast you
off forever.
(NIV)
He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.
(ESV)
And he
dealt wisely and
distributed some of his
sons through
all the
districts of
Judah and
Benjamin, in
all the
fortified cities, and he
gave them
abundant provisions and
procured wives for them.
(NIV)
He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the
Lord, God gave him success.
(ESV)
He set himself to
seek God in the
days of
Zechariah, who
instructed him in the
fear of
God, and as
long as he
sought the
Lord,
God made him
prosper.
(NIV)
The workers laboured faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites – all who were skilled in playing musical instruments –
(ESV)
And the
men did the
work faithfully.
Over them were
set Jahath and
Obadiah the
Levites,
of the
sons of
Merari, and
Zechariah and
Meshullam,
of the
sons of the
Kohathites, to have
oversight. The
Levites,
all who were
skillful with
instruments of
music,
(NIV)
He said to the Levites, who instructed all Israel and who had been consecrated to the
Lord: ‘Put the sacred ark in the temple that Solomon son of David king of Israel built. It is not to be carried about on your shoulders. Now serve the
Lord your God and his people Israel.
(ESV)
And he
said to the
Levites who
taught all Israel and who were
holy to the
Lord, “
Put the
holy ark in the
house that Solomon the
son of
David,
king of
Israel,
built. You need
not carry it on your
shoulders.
Now serve the
Lord your
God and his
people Israel.
(NIV)
I assembled them at the canal that flows towards Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there.
(ESV)
I
gathered them to the
river that
runs to
Ahava, and
there we
camped three days. As I
reviewed the
people and the
priests, I
found there none of the
sons of
Levi.
(NIV)
So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning,
(ESV)
Then I
sent for
Eliezer,
Ariel,
Shemaiah,
Elnathan,
Jarib,
Elnathan,
Nathan,
Zechariah, and
Meshullam,
leading men, and for
Joiarib and
Elnathan, who were men of
insight,
(NIV)
So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.
(ESV)
So
Ezra the
priest brought the
Law before the
assembly,
both men and women and
all who
could understand what they
heard, on the
first day of the
seventh month.
(NIV)
He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
(ESV)
And he
read from it
facing the
square before the
Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the
presence of the
men and the
women and those who
could understand. And the
ears of
all the
people were attentive to the
Book of the
Law.
(NIV)
The Levites – Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah – instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.
(ESV)
Also
Jeshua,
Bani,
Sherebiah,
Jamin,
Akkub,
Shabbethai,
Hodiah,
Maaseiah,
Kelita,
Azariah,
Jozabad,
Hanan,
Pelaiah, the
Levites helped the
people to
understand the
Law while the
people remained in their
places.
(NIV)
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
(ESV)
They
read from the
book, from the
Law of
God,
clearly, and they
gave the
sense, so that the people
understood the
reading.
(NIV)
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the
Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
(ESV)
And
Nehemiah, who was the
governor, and
Ezra the
priest and
scribe, and the
Levites who
taught the
people said to
all the
people, “This
day is
holy to the
Lord your
God; do
not mourn or
weep.”
For all the
people wept as they
heard the
words of the
Law.
(NIV)
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
(ESV)
And
all the
people went their way to
eat and
drink and to
send portions and to
make great rejoicing,
because they had
understood the
words that were
declared to them.
(NIV)
‘The rest of the people – priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighbouring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand –
(ESV)
“The
rest of the
people, the
priests, the
Levites, the
gatekeepers, the
singers, the
temple servants and
all who have
separated themselves
from the
peoples of the
lands to the
Law of
God, their
wives, their
sons, their
daughters,
all who have
knowledge and
understanding,
(NIV)
and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.
(ESV)
and
came to
Jerusalem, and I then
discovered the
evil that Eliashib had
done for
Tobiah,
preparing for him a
chamber in the
courts of the
house of
God.
(NIV)
‘Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.
(ESV)
“
Teach me, and
I will be
silent;
make me
understand how I have gone
astray.
(NIV)
Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?
(ESV)
Is
there any
injustice on my
tongue?
Cannot my
palate discern the cause of
calamity?
(NIV)
When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
(ESV)
Behold, he
passes by me, and I
see him not;
he
moves on, but I do not
perceive him.
(NIV)
Surely he recognises deceivers;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note?
(ESV)
For he
knows worthless
men;
when he
sees iniquity, will he not
consider it?
(NIV)
‘My eyes have seen all this,
my ears have heard and understood it.
(ESV)
“Behold, my
eye has
seen all this,
my
ear has
heard and
understood it.
(NIV)
If their children are honoured, they do not know it;
if their children are brought low, they do not see it.
(ESV)
His
sons come to
honor, and he does
not know it;
they are
brought low, and he
perceives it
not.
(NIV)
What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?
(ESV)
What do you
know that we do not
know?
What do you
understand that is not clear to us?
(NIV)
‘When will you end these speeches?
Be sensible, and then we can talk.
(ESV)
“How
long will you
hunt for words?
Consider,
and then we will
speak.
(NIV)
I would find out what he would answer me,
and consider what he would say to me.
(ESV)
I would
know what he would
answer me
and
understand what he would
say to me.
(NIV)
‘But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.
(ESV)
“
Behold, I
go forward, but he is
not there,
and
backward, but I do
not perceive him;
(NIV)
That is why I am terrified before him;
when I think of all this, I fear him.
(ESV)
Therefore I am
terrified at his
presence;
when I
consider, I am in
dread of him.
(NIV)
And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisper we hear of him!
Who then can understand the thunder of his power?’
(ESV)
Behold,
these are but the
outskirts of his
ways,
and how
small a
whisper do we
hear of him!
But the
thunder of his
power who can
understand?”
(NIV)
God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
(ESV)
“
God understands the
way to it,
and he
knows its
place.
(NIV)
‘I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;
I stand up, but you merely look at me.
(ESV)
I
cry to you for help and you do not
answer me;
I
stand, and you
only look at me.
(NIV)
‘I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a young woman.
(ESV)
“I have
made a
covenant with my
eyes;
how then could I
gaze at a
virgin?
(NIV)
But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
(ESV)
But it is the
spirit in
man,
the
breath of the
Almighty, that
makes him understand.
(NIV)
It is not only the old who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.
(ESV)
It is not the
old who are
wise,
nor the
aged who
understand what is
right.
(NIV)
I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
(ESV)
I gave you my
attention,
and,
behold, there was
none among you who
refuted Job or who
answered his
words.
(NIV)
Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders from his pavilion?
(ESV)
Can anyone understand the
spreading of the
clouds,
the
thunderings of his
pavilion?
(NIV)
‘Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
(ESV)
“
Hear this, O
Job;
stop and
consider the
wondrous works of
God.
(NIV)
Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
(ESV)
Have you
comprehended the
expanse of the
earth?
Declare,
if you
know all this.
(NIV)
Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
(ESV)
that you may
take it to its
territory and
that you may
discern the
paths to its
home?
(NIV)
You asked, “Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?”
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
(ESV)
‘
Who is this that
hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have
uttered what I did
not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did
not know.
(NIV)
For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.
(ESV)
To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.
(NIV)
Listen to my words,
Lord,
consider my lament.
(ESV)
Give ear to my
words, O
Lord;
consider my
groaning.
(NIV)
But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
(ESV)
Who can discern his
errors?
Declare me
innocent from hidden faults.
(NIV)
Because they have no regard for the deeds of the
Lord and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.
(ESV)
Because they do not
regard the
works of the
Lord or the
work of his
hands,
he will
tear them down and
build them up no more.
(NIV)
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
(ESV)
Be
not like a
horse or a
mule,
without understanding,
which must be
curbed with
bit and
bridle,
or it will
not stay
near you.
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