<p class="poetry">I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness,p> <p class="poetry">because you notice my painp> <p class="poetry">and you are aware of how distressed I am.<n id="1" />p>

But<n id="1" /> the inhabitants<n id="2" /> are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

All of these cities were fortified by high walls, gates, and locking bars;<n id="1" /> in addition there were a great many open villages.<n id="2" />

<n id="1" /><p class="poetry">Certainly you must have heard!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Long ago I worked it out,p> <p class="poetry">In ancient times I planned<n id="3" /> it;p> <p class="poetry">and now I am bringing it to pass.p> <p class="poetry">The plan is this:p> <p class="poetry">Fortified cities will crashp> <p class="poetry">into heaps of ruins.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the <i>alamothi> style;<n id="2" /> a song.p> <p class="poetry">God is our strong refuge;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">he is truly our helper in times of trouble.<n id="4" />p>

<n id="1" /><p class="poetry">Certainly you must have heard!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Long ago I worked it out,p> <p class="poetry">in ancient times I planned<n id="3" /> it,p> <p class="poetry">and now I am bringing it to pass.p> <p class="poetry">The plan is this:p> <p class="poetry">Fortified cities will crashp> <p class="poetry">into heaps of ruins.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Israel has forgotten his Maker and built royal palaces,p> <p class="poetry">and Judah has built many fortified cities.p> <p class="poetry">But I will send fire on their cities;p> <p class="poetry">it will consume their royal citadels.p>

Now, assign me this hill country which the <sc>Lordsc> promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities.<n id="1" /> But, assuming the <sc>Lordsc> is with me, I will conquer<n id="2" /> them, as the <sc>Lordsc> promised.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then David said to Abishai, &#8220;Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord&#8217;s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure<n id="1" /> fortified cities for himself and get away from us.&#8221;

They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things &#8211; wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full<n id="1" /> and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.p>