Women of the New Testament

[Be a Gentleman] Authenticity

Help Your Man Overcome Pornography

Acts 19:23-41 | Living for Christ in a Confused World

The Cultivation of Consistency

Do Not Be Anxious About Anything

Sent With Purpose

Perfectly Imperfect | Discovering Grace When Perfect Isn’t Possible, a 7-Day Devotional by Jacques McNeil

Resting in God’s Presence

Seeing With Your Ears

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="2KI.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">Athaliah and Joash</div><div class="p"> 1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram#11:2 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. 3He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.</div><div class="p"> 4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king&#8217;s son. 5He commanded them, saying, &#8220;This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath&#8212;a third of you guarding the royal palace, 6a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple&#8212; 7and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks#11:8 Or approaches the precincts is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men&#8212;those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty&#8212;and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. 11The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king&#8212;near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.</div><div class="p"> 12Jehoiada brought out the king&#8217;s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, &#8220;Long live the king!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. 14She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, &#8220;Treason! Treason!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: &#8220;Bring her out between the ranks#11:15 Or out from the precincts and put to the sword anyone who follows her.&#8221; For the priest had said, &#8220;She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord.&#8221; 16So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.</div><div class="p"> 17Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord&#8217;s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. 18All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.</div><div class="p">Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. 19He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. 20All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.</div><div class="p"> 21Joash#11:21 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.#11:21 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:21) is numbered 12:1.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="2KI.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Joash Repairs the Temple</div><div class="p"> # In Hebrew texts 12:1-21 is numbered 12:2-22 1In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash#12:1 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash; also in verses 2, 4, 6, 7 and 18 became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother&#8217;s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 2Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.</div><div class="p"> 4Joash said to the priests, &#8220;Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord&#8212;the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple. 5Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. 7Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, &#8220;Why aren&#8217;t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.&#8221; 8The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.</div><div class="p"> 9Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord. 10Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. 11When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord&#8212;the carpenters and builders, 12the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.</div><div class="p"> 13The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; 14it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. 15They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. 16The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings#12:16 Or purification offerings was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.</div><div class="p"> 17About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors&#8212;Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah&#8212;and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.</div><div class="p"> 19As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. 21The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch13" data-usfm="2KI.13">
 <div class="label">13</div><div class="s1">Jehoahaz King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 1In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. 3So the Lord&#8217;s anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.</div><div class="p"> 4Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord&#8217;s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. 5The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. 6But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole#13:6 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Kings remained standing in Samaria.</div><div class="p"> 7Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.</div><div class="p"> 8As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 9Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash#13:9 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 12-14 and 25 his son succeeded him as king.</div><div class="s1">Jehoash King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.</div><div class="p"> 12As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 13Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.</div><div class="p"> 14Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. &#8220;My father! My father!&#8221; he cried. &#8220;The chariots and horsemen of Israel!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15Elisha said, &#8220;Get a bow and some arrows,&#8221; and he did so. 16&#8220;Take the bow in your hands,&#8221; he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king&#8217;s hands.</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;Open the east window,&#8221; he said, and he opened it. &#8220;Shoot!&#8221; Elisha said, and he shot. &#8220;The Lord&#8217;s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!&#8221; Elisha declared. &#8220;You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18Then he said, &#8220;Take the arrows,&#8221; and the king took them. Elisha told him, &#8220;Strike the ground.&#8221; He struck it three times and stopped. 19The man of God was angry with him and said, &#8220;You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20Elisha died and was buried.</div><div class="p">Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. 21Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man&#8217;s body into Elisha&#8217;s tomb. When the body touched Elisha&#8217;s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.</div><div class="p"> 22Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.</div><div class="p"> 24Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. 25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch14" data-usfm="2KI.14">
 <div class="label">14</div><div class="s1">Amaziah King of Judah</div><div class="p"> 1In the second year of Jehoash#14:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 13, 23 and 27 son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother&#8217;s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. 3He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. 4The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.</div><div class="p"> 5After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. 6Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: &#8220;Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.&#8221;#14:6 Deut. 24:16</div><div class="p"> 7He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.</div><div class="p"> 8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: &#8220;Come, let us face each other in battle.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: &#8220;A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, &#8216;Give your daughter to my son in marriage.&#8217; Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. 10You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 12Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. 13Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate&#8212;a section about four hundred cubits long.#14:13 That is, about 600 feet or about 180 meters 14He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.</div><div class="p"> 15As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 16Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.</div><div class="p"> 17Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 18As for the other events of Amaziah&#8217;s reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?</div><div class="p"> 19They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors, in the City of David.</div><div class="p"> 21Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,#14:21 Also called Uzziah who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. 22He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.</div><div class="s1">Jeroboam II King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 23In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. 25He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea,#14:25 Hebrew the Sea of the Arabah in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.</div><div class="p"> 26The Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering;#14:26 Or Israel was suffering. They were without a ruler or leader, and there was no one to help them. 27And since the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.</div><div class="p"> 28As for the other events of Jeroboam&#8217;s reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 29Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.</div>
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 <div class="book bk2KI">
 <div class="chapter ch15" data-usfm="2KI.15">
 <div class="label">15</div><div class="s1">Azariah King of Judah</div><div class="p"> 1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah#15:1 Also called Uzziah; also in verses 6, 7, 8, 17, 23 and 27 son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. 2He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother&#8217;s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 3He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.</div><div class="p"> 5The Lord afflicted the king with leprosy#15:5 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin. until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house.#15:5 Or in a house where he was relieved of responsibilities Jotham the king&#8217;s son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.</div><div class="p"> 6As for the other events of Azariah&#8217;s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 7Azariah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.</div><div class="s1">Zechariah King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 8In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months. 9He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his predecessors had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.</div><div class="p"> 10Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people,#15:10 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts in Ibleam assassinated him and succeeded him as king. 11The other events of Zechariah&#8217;s reign are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel. 12So the word of the Lord spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: &#8220;Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.&#8221;#15:12 2 Kings 10:30</div><div class="s1">Shallum King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 13Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria one month. 14Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.</div><div class="p"> 15The other events of Shallum&#8217;s reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.</div><div class="p"> 16At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.</div><div class="s1">Menahem King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 17In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years. 18He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.</div><div class="p"> 19Then Pul#15:19 Also called Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents#15:19 That is, about 38 tons or about 34 metric tons of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom. 20Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy person had to contribute fifty shekels#15:20 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer.</div><div class="p"> 21As for the other events of Menahem&#8217;s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 22Menahem rested with his ancestors. And Pekahiah his son succeeded him as king.</div><div class="s1">Pekahiah King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 23In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. 24Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. 25One of his chief officers, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.</div><div class="p"> 26The other events of Pekahiah&#8217;s reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.</div><div class="s1">Pekah King of Israel</div><div class="p"> 27In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years. 28He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.</div><div class="p"> 29In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria. 30Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.</div><div class="p"> 31As for the other events of Pekah&#8217;s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?</div><div class="s1">Jotham King of Judah</div><div class="p"> 32In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign. 33He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother&#8217;s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 34He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. 35The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 36As for the other events of Jotham&#8217;s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 37(In those days the Lord began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.) 38Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.</div>
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 <div class="book bkPRO">
 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="PRO.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="s1">Warning Against the Adulterous Woman</div><div class="q1"> 1My son, keep my words</div><div class="q2">and store up my commands within you.</div><div class="q1"> 2Keep my commands and you will live;</div><div class="q2">guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.</div><div class="q1"> 3Bind them on your fingers;</div><div class="q2">write them on the tablet of your heart.</div><div class="q1"> 4Say to wisdom, &#8220;You are my sister,&#8221;</div><div class="q2">and to insight, &#8220;You are my relative.&#8221;</div><div class="q1"> 5They will keep you from the adulterous woman,</div><div class="q2">from the wayward woman with her seductive words.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 6At the window of my house</div><div class="q2">I looked down through the lattice.</div><div class="q1"> 7I saw among the simple,</div><div class="q2">I noticed among the young men,</div><div class="q2">a youth who had no sense.</div><div class="q1"> 8He was going down the street near her corner,</div><div class="q2">walking along in the direction of her house</div><div class="q1"> 9at twilight, as the day was fading,</div><div class="q2">as the dark of night set in.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 10Then out came a woman to meet him,</div><div class="q2">dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.</div><div class="q1"> 11(She is unruly and defiant,</div><div class="q2">her feet never stay at home;</div><div class="q1"> 12now in the street, now in the squares,</div><div class="q2">at every corner she lurks.)</div><div class="q1"> 13She took hold of him and kissed him</div><div class="q2">and with a brazen face she said:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 14&#8220;Today I fulfilled my vows,</div><div class="q2">and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.</div><div class="q1"> 15So I came out to meet you;</div><div class="q2">I looked for you and have found you!</div><div class="q1"> 16I have covered my bed</div><div class="q2">with colored linens from Egypt.</div><div class="q1"> 17I have perfumed my bed</div><div class="q2">with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.</div><div class="q1"> 18Come, let&#8217;s drink deeply of love till morning;</div><div class="q2">let&#8217;s enjoy ourselves with love!</div><div class="q1"> 19My husband is not at home;</div><div class="q2">he has gone on a long journey.</div><div class="q1"> 20He took his purse filled with money</div><div class="q2">and will not be home till full moon.&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 21With persuasive words she led him astray;</div><div class="q2">she seduced him with her smooth talk.</div><div class="q1"> 22All at once he followed her</div><div class="q2">like an ox going to the slaughter,</div><div class="q1">like a deer#7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool stepping into a noose#7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.</div><div class="q2"> 23till an arrow pierces his liver,</div><div class="q1">like a bird darting into a snare,</div><div class="q2">little knowing it will cost him his life.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"> 24Now then, my sons, listen to me;</div><div class="q2">pay attention to what I say.</div><div class="q1"> 25Do not let your heart turn to her ways</div><div class="q2">or stray into her paths.</div><div class="q1"> 26Many are the victims she has brought down;</div><div class="q2">her slain are a mighty throng.</div><div class="q1"> 27Her house is a highway to the grave,</div><div class="q2">leading down to the chambers of death.</div>
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