Solomon's Splendor and a Kingdom Divided

1. When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning Yahweh’s name, she came to test him with hard questions. 2. She came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart. 3. Solomon answered all her questions. There was not anything hidden from the king which he didn’t tell her. 4. When the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5. the food of his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his officials, their clothing, his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to Yahweh’s house; there was no more spirit in her. 6. She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom. 7. However I didn’t believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard. 8. Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom. 9. Blessed is Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore he made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” 10. She gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was there such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11. The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir, also brought in from Ophir great quantities of almug trees and precious stones. 12. The king made of the almug trees pillars for Yahweh’s house, and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen, to this day. 13. King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own land, she and her servants. 14. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 15. besides that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. 16. King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. 17. he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19. There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were armrests on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the armrests. 20. Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. Nothing like it was made in any kingdom. 21. All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver, because it was considered of little value in the days of Solomon. 22. For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 23. So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24. All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25. Year after year, every man brought his tribute, vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules. 26. Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he kept in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 27. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland. 28. The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. The king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price. 29. A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred fifty shekels; and so they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites, and to the kings of Syria. 1. Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; 2. of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love. 3. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4. When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was. 5. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6. Solomon did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as David his father did. 7. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8. So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9. Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10. and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded. 11. Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12. Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of your son’s hand. 13. However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.” 14. Yahweh raised up an adversary to Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was one of the king’s offspring in Edom. 15. For when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army had gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom 16. (for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom); 17. Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, when Hadad was still a little child. 18. They arose out of Midian, and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him food, and gave him land. 19. Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20. The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh. 21. When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.” 22. Then Pharaoh said to him, “But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to your own country?” He answered, “Nothing, however only let me depart.” 23. God raised up an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24. He gathered men to himself, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah. They went to Damascus, and lived there, and reigned in Damascus. 25. He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief of Hadad. He abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. 26. Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. 27. This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of his father David’s city. 28. The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labor of the house of Joseph. 29. At that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field. 30. Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it in twelve pieces. 31. He said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you 32. (but he shall have one tribe, for my servant David’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel); 33. because that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in my eyes, and to keep my statutes and my ordinances, as David his father did. 34. “‘However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David my servant’s sake whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes; 35. but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it to you, even ten tribes. 36. To his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there. 37. I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. 38. It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39. I will afflict the offspring of David for this, but not forever.’” 40. Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. 41. Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42. The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43. Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place. 1. Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2. When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt, 3. and they sent and called him), Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4. “Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore make the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.” 5. He said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” The people departed. 6. King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to answer these people?” 7. They replied, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then they will be your servants forever.” 8. But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9. He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may answer these people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?’” 10. The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;’ tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11. Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father 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 asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.” 13. The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, 14. and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” 15. So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16. When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents. 17. But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18. Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam hurried to get himself up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19. So Israel rebelled against David’s house to this day. 20. When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed David’s house, except for the tribe of Judah only. 21. When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who 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 to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23. “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, 24. ‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is from me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s word, and returned and went their way, according to Yahweh’s word. 25. Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel. 26. Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to David’s house. 27. If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28. So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and behold your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 29. He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. 30. This thing became a sin; for the people went even as far as Dan to worship before the one there. 31. He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32. Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. 33. He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.

1. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2. Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. 3. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. 4. Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. 5. Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. 6. Jesse became the father of King David. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife. 7. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. 8. Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. 9. Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. 10. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. 11. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12. After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. 13. Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. 14. Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. 15. Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. 16. Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21. She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” 22. Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23. “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” 24. Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25. and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus. 1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2. “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” 3. When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, 6. ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’” 7. Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8. He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” 9. They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11. They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12. Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way. 13. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” 14. He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15. and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17. Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, 18. “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.” 19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20. “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.” 21. He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23. and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” 1. In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” 3. For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.” 4. Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 6. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! 9. Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10. “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. 11. I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. 12. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.” 13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14. But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” 15. But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16. Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 17. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 1. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 3. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4. But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” 5. Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6. and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you.’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’” 7. Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’” 8. Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 9. He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10. Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’” 11. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him. 12. Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 13. Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15. “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16. the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.” 17. From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” 18. Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.” 20. They immediately left their nets and followed him. 21. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 22. They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him. 23. Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24. The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 25. Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

1. Yahweh, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine out. 2. Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve. 3. Yahweh, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph? 4. They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast. 5. They break your people in pieces, Yahweh, and afflict your heritage. 6. They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless. 7. They say, “Yah will not see, neither will Jacob’s God consider.” 8. Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise? 9. He who implanted the ear, won’t he hear? He who formed the eye, won’t he see? 10. He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish? He who teaches man knows. 11. Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. 12. Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah, and teach out of your law; 13. that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked. 14. For Yahweh won’t reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. 15. For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it. 16. Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers? 17. Unless Yahweh had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence. 18. When I said, “My foot is slipping!” Your loving kindness, Yahweh, held me up. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul. 20. Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute? 21. They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. 22. But Yahweh has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge. 23. He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. Yahweh, our God, will cut them off.