(1) After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, (2) when out of the Nile there came up seven cows, handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass. (3) But presently, seven other cows came up from the Nile close behind them, ugly and gaunt, and stood beside the cows on the bank of the Nile; (4) and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. And Pharaoh awoke. (5) He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, solid and healthy, grew on a single stalk. (6) But close behind them sprouted seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind. (7) And the thin ears swallowed up the seven solid and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke: it was a dream! (8) Next morning, his spirit was agitated, and he sent for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dreams, but none could interpret them for Pharaoh. (9) The chief cupbearer then spoke up and said to Pharaoh, “I must make mention today of my offenses. (10) Once Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and placed me in custody in the house of the chief steward, together with the chief baker. (11) We had dreams the same night, he and I, each of us a dream with a meaning of its own. (12) A Hebrew youth was there with us, a servant of the chief steward; and when we told him our dreams, he interpreted them for us, telling each of the meaning of his dream. (13) And as he interpreted for us, so it came to pass: I was restored to my post, and the other was impaled.” (14) Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was rushed from the dungeon. He had his hair cut and changed his clothes, and he appeared before Pharaoh. (15) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it. Now I have heard it said of you that for you to hear a dream is to tell its meaning.” (16) Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “Not I! God will see to Pharaoh’s welfare.” (17) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile, (18) when out of the Nile came up seven sturdy and well-formed cows and grazed in the reed grass. (19) Presently there followed them seven other cows, scrawny, ill-formed, and emaciated—never had I seen their likes for ugliness in all the land of Egypt! (20) And the seven lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven cows, the sturdy ones; (21) but when they had consumed them, one could not tell that they had consumed them, for they looked just as bad as before. And I awoke. (22) In my other dream, I saw seven ears of grain, full and healthy, growing on a single stalk; (23) but right behind them sprouted seven ears, shriveled, thin, and scorched by the east wind. (24) And the thin ears swallowed the seven healthy ears. I have told my magicians, but none has an explanation for me.” (25) And Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same: God has told Pharaoh what He is about to do. (26) The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears are seven years; it is the same dream. (27) The seven lean and ugly cows that followed are seven years, as are also the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind; they are seven years of famine. (28) It is just as I have told Pharaoh: God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. (29) Immediately ahead are seven years of great abundance in all the land of Egypt. (30) After them will come seven years of famine, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. As the land is ravaged by famine, (31) no trace of the abundance will be left in the land because of the famine thereafter, for it will be very severe. (32) As for Pharaoh having had the same dream twice, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it out. (33) “Accordingly, let Pharaoh find a man of discernment and wisdom, and set him over the land of Egypt. (34) And let Pharaoh take steps to appoint overseers over the land, and organize the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty. (35) Let all the food of these good years that are coming be gathered, and let the grain be collected under Pharaoh’s authority as food to be stored in the cities. (36) Let that food be a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine.” (37) The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his court
iers. (38) And Pharaoh said to his courtiers, “Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of God?” (39) So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you. (40) You shall be in charge of my court, and by your command shall all my people be directed; only with respect to the throne shall I be superior to you.” (41) Pharaoh further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.” (42) And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. (43) He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command, and they cried before him, “Abrek!” Thus he placed him over all the land of Egypt. (44) Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; yet without you, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (45) Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt.—
כז) וַיָּבֹ֥א אִישׁ־אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־עֵלִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲנִגְלֹ֤ה נִגְלֵ֙יתִי֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יךָ בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֥ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם לְבֵ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה׃ (כח) וּבָחֹ֣ר אֹ֠ת֠וֹ מִכׇּל־שִׁבְטֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל לִי֙ לְכֹהֵ֔ן לַעֲל֣וֹת עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֗י לְהַקְטִ֥יר קְטֹ֛רֶת לָשֵׂ֥את אֵפ֖וֹד לְפָנָ֑י וָֽאֶתְּנָה֙ לְבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔יךָ אֶת־כׇּל־אִשֵּׁ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כט) לָ֣מָּה תִבְעֲט֗וּ בְּזִבְחִי֙ וּבְמִנְחָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי מָע֑וֹן וַתְּכַבֵּ֤ד אֶת־בָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי לְהַבְרִיאֲכֶ֗ם מֵרֵאשִׁ֛ית כׇּל־מִנְחַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעַמִּֽי׃ (ל) לָכֵ֗ן נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אָמ֣וֹר אָמַ֔רְתִּי בֵּֽיתְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔יךָ יִתְהַלְּכ֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם וְעַתָּ֤ה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה֙ חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֔י כִּֽי־מְכַבְּדַ֥י אֲכַבֵּ֖ד וּבֹזַ֥י יֵקָֽלּוּ׃ (לא) הִנֵּה֙ יָמִ֣ים בָּאִ֔ים וְגָֽדַעְתִּי֙ אֶת־זְרֹ֣עֲךָ֔ וְאֶת־זְרֹ֖עַ בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ מִֽהְי֥וֹת זָקֵ֖ן בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃ (לב) וְהִבַּטְתָּ֙ צַ֣ר מָע֔וֹן בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵיטִ֖יב אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה זָקֵ֛ן בְּבֵיתְךָ֖ כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (לג) וְאִ֗ישׁ לֹֽא־אַכְרִ֤ית לְךָ֙ מֵעִ֣ם מִזְבְּחִ֔י לְכַלּ֥וֹת אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יךָ וְלַאֲדִ֣יב אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְכׇל־מַרְבִּ֥ית בֵּיתְךָ֖ יָמ֥וּתוּ אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (לד) וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ אֶל־שְׁנֵ֣י בָנֶ֔יךָ אֶל־חׇפְנִ֖י וּפִֽינְחָ֑ס בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד יָמ֥וּתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (לה) וַהֲקִימֹתִ֥י לִי֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן נֶאֱמָ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר בִּלְבָבִ֥י וּבְנַפְשִׁ֖י יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וּבָנִ֤יתִי לוֹ֙ בַּ֣יִת נֶאֱמָ֔ן וְהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לִפְנֵֽי־מְשִׁיחִ֖י כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (לו) וְהָיָ֗ה כׇּל־הַנּוֹתָר֙ בְּבֵ֣יתְךָ֔ יָבוֹא֙ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת ל֔וֹ לַאֲג֥וֹרַת כֶּ֖סֶף וְכִכַּר־לָ֑חֶם וְאָמַ֗ר סְפָחֵ֥נִי נָ֛א אֶל־אַחַ֥ת הַכְּהֻנּ֖וֹת לֶאֱכֹ֥ל פַּת־לָֽחֶם׃ {פ}
(27) A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus said the LORD: Lo, I revealed Myself to your father’s house in Egypt when they were subject to the House of Pharaoh, (28) and I chose them from among all the tribes of Israel to be My priests—to ascend My altar, to burn incense, [and] to carry an ephod before Me—and I assigned to your father’s house all offerings by fire of the Israelites. (29) Why, then, do you maliciously trample upon the sacrifices and offerings that I have commanded?-k You have honored your sons more than Me, feeding on the first portions of every offering of My people Israel. (30) Assuredly—declares the LORD, the God of Israel—I intended for you and your father’s house to remain in My service forever. But now—declares the LORD—far be it from Me! For I honor those who honor Me, but those who spurn Me shall be dishonored. (31) A time is coming when I will break your power and that of your father’s house, and there shall be no elder in your house. (32) You will gaze grudgingly at all the bounty that will be bestowed on Israel, but there shall never be an elder in your house. (33) I shall not cut off all your offspring from My altar; [but,] to make your eyes pine and your spirit languish, all the increase in your house shall die as [ordinary] men.-i (34) And this shall be a sign for you: The fate of your two sons Hophni and Phinehas—they shall both die on the same day. (35) And I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest, who will act in accordance with My wishes and My purposes. I will build for him an enduring house, and he shall walk before My anointed evermore. (36) And all the survivors of your house shall come and bow low to him for the sake of a money fee and a loaf of bread, and shall say, ‘Please, assign me to one of the priestly duties, that I may have a morsel of bread to eat.’”
(ב) וַיְהִ֥י לֶֽחֶם־שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְי֣וֹם אֶחָ֑ד שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים כֹּר֙ סֹ֔לֶת וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים כֹּ֖ר קָֽמַח׃ (ג) עֲשָׂרָ֨ה בָקָ֜ר בְּרִאִ֗ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים בָּקָ֛ר רְעִ֖י וּמֵ֣אָה צֹ֑אן לְ֠בַ֠ד מֵאַיָּ֤ל וּצְבִי֙ וְיַחְמ֔וּר וּבַרְבֻּרִ֖ים אֲבוּסִֽים׃ (ד) כִּי־ה֞וּא רֹדֶ֣ה ׀ בְּכׇל־עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֗ר מִתִּפְסַח֙ וְעַד־עַזָּ֔ה בְּכׇל־מַלְכֵ֖י עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר וְשָׁל֗וֹם הָ֥יָה ל֛וֹ מִכׇּל־עֲבָרָ֖יו מִסָּבִֽיב׃ (ה) וַיֵּ֩שֶׁב֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לָבֶ֗טַח אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֤חַת גַּפְנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת תְּאֵנָת֔וֹ מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ {ס}
(1) Solomon’s rule extended over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and the boundary of Egypt. They brought Solomon tribute and were subject to him all his life. (2) Solomon’s daily provisions consisted of 30 kors of semolina, and 60 kors of [ordinary] flour, (3) 10 fattened oxen, 20 pasture-fed oxen, and 100 sheep and goats, besides deer and gazelles, roebucks and fatted geese.-a (4) For he controlled the whole region west of the Euphrates—all the kings west of the Euphrates, from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all his borders round about. (5) All the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba dwelt in safety, everyone under his own vine and under his own fig tree.
God is truly good to Israel,
to those whose heart is pure. (2) As for me, my feet had almost strayed,
my steps were nearly led off course, (3) for I envied the wanton;
I saw the wicked at ease. (4) Death has no pangs for them;
their body is healthy. (5) They have no part in the travail of men;
they are not afflicted like the rest of mankind. (6) So pride adorns their necks,
lawlessness enwraps them as a mantle. (7) Fat shuts out their eyes;
their fancies are extravagant.-a (8) They scoff and plan evil;
from their eminence they plan wrongdoing. (9) They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues range over the earth. (10) So they pound His people again and again,
until they are drained of their very last tear.-a (11) Then they say, “How could God know?
Is there knowledge with the Most High?” (12) Such are the wicked;
ever tranquil, they amass wealth.
(13) It was for nothing that I kept my heart pure
and washed my hands in innocence, (14) seeing that I have been constantly afflicted,
that each morning brings new punishments. (15) Had I decided to say these things,
I should have been false to the circle of Your disciples. (16) So I applied myself to understand this,
but it seemed a hopeless task (17) till I entered God’s sanctuary
and reflected on their fate.
(18) You surround them with flattery;
You make them fall through blandishments. (19) How suddenly are they ruined,
wholly swept away by terrors. (20) When You are aroused You despise their image,
as one does a dream after waking, O Lord.-a
(21) My mind was stripped of its reason,
my feelings were numbed.-b (22) I was a dolt, without knowledge;
I was brutish toward You.
(23) Yet I was always with You,
You held my right hand; (24) You guided me by Your counsel
and led me toward honor.-c (25) Whom else have I in heaven?
And having You, I want no one on earth. (26) My body and mind fail;
but God is the stay of my mind, my portion forever. (27) Those who keep far from You perish;
You annihilate all who are untrue to You. (28) As for me, nearness to God is good;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may recount all Your works.
(כ) לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם הִנְנִי־אָ֕נִי וְשָֽׁפַטְתִּי֙ בֵּֽין־שֶׂ֣ה בִרְיָ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין שֶׂ֖ה רָזָֽה׃ (כא) יַ֗עַן בְּצַ֤ד וּבְכָתֵף֙ תֶּהְדֹּ֔פוּ וּבְקַרְנֵיכֶ֥ם תְּנַגְּח֖וּ כׇּל־הַנַּחְל֑וֹת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֲפִיצוֹתֶ֛ם אוֹתָ֖נָה אֶל־הַחֽוּצָה׃ (כב) וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י לְצֹאנִ֔י וְלֹא־תִהְיֶ֥ינָה ע֖וֹד לָבַ֑ז וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין שֶׂ֖ה לָשֶֽׂה׃ (כג) וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רֹעֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וְרָעָ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ן אֵ֖ת עַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֑יד ה֚וּא יִרְעֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם וְהֽוּא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ן לְרֹעֶֽה׃ (כד) וַאֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְעַבְדִּ֥י דָוִ֖ד נָשִׂ֣יא בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ (כה) וְכָרַתִּ֤י לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֥י חַיָּֽה־רָעָ֖ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיָשְׁב֤וּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ לָבֶ֔טַח וְיָשְׁנ֖וּ בַּיְּעָרִֽים׃ (כו) וְנָתַתִּ֥י אוֹתָ֛ם וּסְבִיב֥וֹת גִּבְעָתִ֖י בְּרָכָ֑ה וְהוֹרַדְתִּ֤י הַגֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ בְּעִתּ֔וֹ גִּשְׁמֵ֥י בְרָכָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ׃ (כז) וְנָתַן֩ עֵ֨ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֜ה אֶת־פִּרְי֗וֹ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּתֵּ֣ן יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְהָי֥וּ עַל־אַדְמָתָ֖ם לָבֶ֑טַח וְֽיָדְע֞וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה בְּשִׁבְרִי֙ אֶת־מֹט֣וֹת עֻלָּ֔ם וְהִ֨צַּלְתִּ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד הָעֹבְדִ֥ים בָּהֶֽם׃ (כח) וְלֹא־יִהְי֨וּ ע֥וֹד בַּז֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְחַיַּ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לֹ֣א תֹאכְלֵ֑ם וְיָשְׁב֥וּ לָבֶ֖טַח וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃ (כט) וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י לָהֶ֛ם מַטָּ֖ע לְשֵׁ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְי֨וּ ע֜וֹד אֲסֻפֵ֤י רָעָב֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹא־יִשְׂא֥וּ ע֖וֹד כְּלִמַּ֥ת הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ל) וְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם אִתָּ֑ם וְהֵ֗מָּה עַמִּי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ (לא) וְאַתֵּ֥ן צֹאנִ֛י צֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתִ֖י אָדָ֣ם אַתֶּ֑ם אֲנִי֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ {פ}
To the shepherds: Thus said the Lord GOD: Ah, you shepherds of Israel, who have been tending yourselves! Is it not the flock that the shepherds ought to tend? (3) You partake of the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, and you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not tend the flock. (4) You have not sustained the weak, healed the sick, or bandaged the injured; you have not brought back the strayed, or looked for the lost; but you have driven them with harsh rigor, (5) and they have been scattered for want of anyone to tend them; scattered, they have become prey for every wild beast. (6) My sheep stray through all the mountains and over every lofty hill; My flock is scattered all over the face of the earth, with none to take thought of them and none to seek them. (7) Hear then, O shepherds, the word of the LORD! (8) As I live—declares the Lord GOD: Because My flock has been a spoil—My flock has been a prey for all the wild beasts, for want of anyone to tend them since My shepherds have not taken thought of My flock, for the shepherds tended themselves instead of tending the flock— (9) hear indeed, O shepherds, the word of the LORD: (10) Thus said the Lord GOD: I am going to deal with the shepherds! I will demand a reckoning of them for My flock, and I will dismiss them from tending the flock. The shepherds shall not tend themselves any more; for I will rescue My flock from their mouths, and it shall not be their prey. (11) For thus said the Lord GOD: Here am I! I am going to take thought for My flock and I will seek them out. (12) As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some [animals] in his flock have gotten separated, so I will seek out My flock, I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of cloud and gloom. (13) I will take them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them to their own land, and will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses and in all the settled portions of the land. (14) I will feed them in good grazing land, and the lofty hills of Israel shall be their pasture. There, in the hills of Israel, they shall lie down in a good pasture and shall feed on rich grazing land. (15) I Myself will graze My flock, and I Myself will let them lie down—declares the Lord GOD. (16) I will look for the lost, and I will bring back the strayed; I will bandage the injured, and I will sustain the weak; and the fat and healthy ones I will destroy. I will tend them rightly. (17) And as for you, My flock, thus said the Lord GOD: I am going to judge between one animal and another.
To the rams and the bucks: (18) Is it not enough for you to graze on choice grazing ground, but you must also trample with your feet what is left from your grazing? And is it not enough for you to drink clear water,-d but you must also muddy with your feet what is left? (19) And must My flock graze on what your feet have trampled and drink what your feet have muddied? (20) Assuredly, thus said the Lord GOD to them: Here am I, I am going to decide between the stout animals and the lean. (21) Because you pushed with flank and shoulder against the feeble ones and butted them with your horns until you scattered them abroad, (22) I will rescue My flock and they shall no longer be a spoil. I will decide between one animal and another. (23) Then I will appoint a single shepherd over them to tend them—My servant David. He shall tend them, he shall be a shepherd to them. (24) I the LORD will be their God, and My servant David shall be a ruler among them—I the LORD have spoken. (25) And I will grant them a covenant of friendship. I will banish vicious beasts from their land, and they shall live secure in the wasteland, they shall even sleep in the woodland. (26) I will make these and the environs of My hill-e a blessing: I will send down the rain in its season, rains that bring blessing. (27) The trees of the field shall yield their fruit and the land shall yield its produce. [My people] shall continue secure on its own soil. They shall know that I am the LORD when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from those who enslave them. (28) They shall no longer be a spoil for the nations, and the beasts of the earth shall not devour them; they shall dwell secure and untroubled. (29) I shall establish for them a planting of renown;-e they shall no more be carried off by famine, and they shall not have to bear again the taunts of the nations. (30) They shall know that I the LORD their God am with them and they, the House of Israel, are My people—declares the Lord GOD. (31) For you, My flock, flock that I tend, are men; and I am your God—declares the Lord GOD.
(2) How long, O LORD, shall I cry out
And You not listen,
Shall I shout to You, “Violence!”
And You not save? (3) Why do You make me see iniquity
[Why] do You look-a upon wrong?—
Raiding and violence are before me,
Strife continues and contention goes on.-b (4) That is why decision fails
And justice never emerges;
For the villain hedges in the just man—
Therefore judgment emerges deformed.
(5) “Look among the nations,
Observe well and be utterly astounded;
For a work is being wrought in your days
Which you would not believe if it were told. (6) For lo, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce, impetuous nation,
Who cross the earth’s wide spaces
To seize homes not their own. (7) They are terrible, dreadful;
They make their own laws and rules.-c (8) Their horses are swifter than leopards,
Fleeter than wolves of the steppe.
Their steeds gallop—their steeds-e
Come flying from afar.
Like vultures rushing toward food, (9) They all come, bent on rapine.
The thrust of their van is forward,
And they amass captives like sand. (10) Kings they hold in derision,
And princes are a joke to them;
They laugh at every fortress,
They pile up earth and capture it. (11) Then they pass on like the wind,
They transgress and incur guilt,
For they ascribe their might to their god.”-b
(12) You, O LORD, are from everlasting;
My holy God, You never die.
O LORD, You have made them a subject of contention;
O Rock, You have made them a cause for complaint. (13) You whose eyes are too pure to look upon evil,
Who cannot countenance wrongdoing,
Why do You countenance treachery,
And stand by idle
While the one in the wrong devours
The one in the right? (14) You have made mankind like the fish of the sea,
Like creeping things that have no ruler.-g (15) He has fished them all up with a line,
Pulled them up in his trawl,
And gathered them in his net.
That is why he rejoices and is glad. (16) That is why he sacrifices to his trawl
And makes offerings to his net;
For through them his portion is rich
And his nourishment fat. (17) Shall he then keep emptying his trawl,-i
And slaying nations without pity?
(15) The LORD said to me further: Get yourself the gear of a foolish shepherd. (16) For I am going to raise up in the land a shepherd who will neither miss the lost [sheep], nor seek the strayed, nor heal the injured, nor sustain the frail,-a but will feast on the flesh of the fat ones and tear off their hoofs.-a (17) Oh, the worthless shepherd
Who abandons the flock!
Let a sword descend upon his arm
And upon his right eye!
His arm shall shrivel up;
His right eye shall go blind.
Genesis 41:2
Genesis 41:4
Genesis 41:5
Genesis 41:7
Genesis 41:18
Genesis 41:20
Judges 3:17
1 Samuel 2:29
1 Kings 5:2
Psalm 73:4
Ezekiel 34:3
Ezekiel 34:20
Daniel 1:15
Habakkuk 1:16
Zechariah 11:16