‘And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.

Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.

Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.’

Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.’

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.’

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.’

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.

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.

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,

“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.

If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be!

If they were wise, they would understand this;
they would discern their latter end!

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.

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.

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.’

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.”

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.’

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.”

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?’

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?”

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,

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,

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.

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.

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.’

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.”

Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skilful at it.

Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it.

Along with their relatives – all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord – they numbered 288.

The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all who were skillful, was 288.

Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots for their duties.

And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

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.

‘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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 –

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,

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

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,

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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 –

“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,

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.

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.

‘Teach me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.

“Teach me, and I will be silent;
make me understand how I have gone astray.

Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?

Is there any injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?

When he passes me, I cannot see him;
when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.

Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

Surely he recognises deceivers;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note?

For he knows worthless men;
when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?

‘My eyes have seen all this,
my ears have heard and understood it.

“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
my ear has heard and understood it.

If their children are honoured, they do not know it;
if their children are brought low, they do not see it.

His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;
they are brought low, and he perceives it not.

What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?

What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not clear to us?

‘When will you end these speeches?
Be sensible, and then we can talk.

“How long will you hunt for words?
Consider, and then we will speak.

I would find out what he would answer me,
and consider what he would say to me.

I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.

‘But if I go to the east, he is not there;
if I go to the west, I do not find him.

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;

That is why I am terrified before him;
when I think of all this, I fear him.

Therefore I am terrified at his presence;
when I consider, I am in dread of him.

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?’

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?”

God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,

“God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.

‘I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;
I stand up, but you merely look at me.

I cry to you for help and you do not answer me;
I stand, and you only look at me.

‘I made a covenant with my eyes
not to look lustfully at a young woman.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?

But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.

But it is the spirit in man,
the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.

It is not only the old who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.

It is not the old who are wise,
nor the aged who understand what is right.

I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.

I gave you my attention,
and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
or who answered his words.

Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders from his pavilion?

Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?

‘Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.

“Hear this, O Job;
stop and consider the wondrous works of God.

Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.

Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you know all this.

Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern the paths to its home?

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.

‘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.

Listen to my words, Lord,
consider my lament.

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.

But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

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.

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.

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.

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.