¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,² Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying,³ What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,⁴ And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:⁵ To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD.⁶ And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.⁷ And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.⁸ And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,⁹ And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.¹⁰ And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.¹¹ For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.¹² Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.¹³ And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.¹⁴ For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.¹⁵ And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean.¹⁶ But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,² Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.³ After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.⁴ Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.⁵ Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.⁶ None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.⁷ The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.⁸ The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.⁹ The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.¹⁰ The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.¹¹ The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.¹² Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.¹³ Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.¹⁴ Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.¹⁵ Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.¹⁶ Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.¹⁷ Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.¹⁸ Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.¹⁹ Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.²⁰ Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.²¹ And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.²² Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.²³ Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.²⁴ Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:²⁵ And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.²⁶ Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:²⁷ (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)²⁸ That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.²⁹ For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.³⁰ Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

¹ And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.² And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish:³ And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,⁴ And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:⁵ And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you:⁶ Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.⁷ And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:⁸ But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish:⁹ And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,¹⁰ A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:¹¹ One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.¹² And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:¹³ And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:¹⁴ And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,¹⁵ And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs:¹⁶ And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.¹⁷ And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:¹⁸ And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:¹⁹ And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.²⁰ And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;²¹ And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:²² And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.²³ And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:²⁴ Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:²⁵ And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.²⁶ And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:²⁷ And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:²⁸ And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.²⁹ And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:³⁰ And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:³¹ And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.³² And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:³³ And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:³⁴ And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.³⁵ On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:³⁶ But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:³⁷ Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:³⁸ And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.³⁹ These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.⁴⁰ And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

¹ And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.² If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.³ If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;⁴ And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.⁵ But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.⁶ And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;⁷ And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.⁸ But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.⁹ But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.¹⁰ And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;¹¹ And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.¹² But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.¹³ Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.¹⁴ But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.¹⁵ But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.¹⁶ These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

¹ And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,² And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;³ That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.⁴ If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:⁵ And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.⁶ And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.⁷ And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.⁸ And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.⁹ And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:¹⁰ If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.¹¹ For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.¹² It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?¹³ Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?¹⁴ But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.¹⁵ See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;¹⁶ In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.¹⁷ But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;¹⁸ I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.¹⁹ I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:²⁰ That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

¹ And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.² And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.³ Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.⁴ But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.⁵ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.⁶ And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.⁷ And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.⁸ And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.⁹ And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.¹⁰ So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.¹¹ And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.¹² And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:¹³ But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.¹⁴ And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.¹⁵ And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?¹⁶ And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?¹⁷ And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.¹⁸ And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.¹⁹ And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.²⁰ But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

¹ But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.² And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.³ And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.⁴ And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.⁵ And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.⁶ Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.⁷ And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.⁸ And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.⁹ Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.¹⁰ And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.¹¹ Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.¹² And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.¹³ And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.¹⁴ And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.¹⁵ And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.¹⁶ And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.¹⁷ And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.¹⁸ And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?¹⁹ But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.²⁰ And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

¹ Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.² And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons.³ And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.⁴ Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.⁵ And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.⁶ So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.⁷ And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.⁸ And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.⁹ And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.¹⁰ And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.¹¹ And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;¹² All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.¹³ And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.² And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)³ That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,⁴ Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.⁵ And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.⁶ And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?⁷ And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.⁸ But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:⁹ And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?¹⁰ And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.¹¹ And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.¹³ And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;¹⁴ And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.¹⁵ Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.¹⁶ So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.¹⁷ But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.¹⁸ Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.¹⁹ So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.²⁰ And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.²¹ And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.²² But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,²³ Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,²⁴ Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.²⁵ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.²⁶ And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:²⁷ If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.²⁸ Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.²⁹ And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.³⁰ And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.³¹ And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.³² And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.³³ So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

¹ Adam, Sheth, Enosh,² Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,³ Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,⁴ Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.⁵ The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.⁶ And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.⁷ And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.⁸ The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.⁹ And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.¹⁰ And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.¹¹ And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,¹² And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim.¹³ And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth,¹⁴ The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,¹⁵ And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,¹⁶ And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.¹⁷ The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.¹⁸ And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.¹⁹ And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.²⁰ And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,²¹ Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,²² And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba,²³ And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.²⁴ Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,²⁵ Eber, Peleg, Reu,²⁶ Serug, Nahor, Terah,²⁷ Abram; the same is Abraham.²⁸ The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.²⁹ These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,³⁰ Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema,³¹ Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.³² Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.³³ And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.³⁴ And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.³⁵ The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.³⁶ The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek.³⁷ The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.³⁸ And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.³⁹ And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.⁴⁰ The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.⁴¹ The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.⁴² The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.⁴³ Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.⁴⁴ And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.⁴⁵ And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.⁴⁶ And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.⁴⁷ And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.⁴⁸ And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.⁴⁹ And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.⁵⁰ And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.⁵¹ Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth,⁵² Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon,⁵³ Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar,⁵⁴ Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

¹ And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.² And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD,³ With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.⁴ And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.⁵ Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.⁶ Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous.⁷ And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.⁸ Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.⁹ So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.¹⁰ Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.¹¹ And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.¹² And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.¹³ So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.¹⁴ And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.¹⁵ Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.¹⁶ And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

¹ Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.² He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.³ And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.⁴ And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;⁵ Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?⁶ Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.⁷ And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.⁸ And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.⁹ Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.¹⁰ But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:¹¹ And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.¹² And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.¹³ But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.¹⁴ And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.¹⁵ Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.¹⁶ And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.¹⁷ And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.¹⁸ Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.¹⁹ And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof.²⁰ Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.²¹ But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.²² And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

¹ Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.² And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.³ And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.⁴ Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.⁶ Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.⁷ Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;⁸ And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:⁹ And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;¹⁰ And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.¹¹ And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.¹² Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.¹³ Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:¹⁴ And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:¹⁵ And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,¹⁷ And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.¹⁸ Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;¹⁹ Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.²⁰ Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.²¹ Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.²² Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.²³ Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.²⁴ So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.²⁵ And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.²⁸ But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;²⁹ And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.³⁰ Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.³¹ Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.³² Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.³³ Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:³⁴ Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.³⁵ For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:³⁷ And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.³⁸ And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

¹ I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?² For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?³ Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?⁴ Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?⁵ If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;⁶ Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.⁷ If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;⁸ Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.⁹ If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;¹⁰ Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.¹¹ For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.¹² For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.¹³ If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;¹⁴ What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?¹⁵ Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?¹⁶ If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;¹⁷ Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;¹⁸ (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)¹⁹ If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;²⁰ If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;²¹ If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:²² Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.²³ For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.²⁴ If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;²⁵ If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;²⁶ If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;²⁷ And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:²⁸ This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.²⁹ If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:³⁰ Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.³¹ If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.³² The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.³³ If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:³⁴ Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?³⁵ Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.³⁶ Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.³⁷ I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.³⁸ If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;³⁹ If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:⁴⁰ Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

¹ So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.² Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.³ Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.⁴ Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.⁵ When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.⁶ And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.⁷ I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.⁸ But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.⁹ Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.¹⁰ Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.¹¹ Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.¹² Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words:¹³ Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.¹⁴ Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.¹⁵ They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.¹⁶ When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)¹⁷ I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.¹⁸ For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.¹⁹ Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.²⁰ I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.²¹ Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.²² For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.