<p class="poetry">He has told you, O man, what is good,p> <p class="poetry">and what the <sc>Lordsc> really wants from you:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He wants you to<n id="2" /> promote<n id="3" /> justice, to be faithful,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and to live obediently before<n id="5" /> your God.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">You have wearied the <sc>Lordsc> with your words. But you say, &#8220;How have we wearied him?&#8221; Because you say, &#8220;Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord&#8217;s opinion,<n id="1" /> and he delights in them,&#8221; or &#8220;Where is the God of justice?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">So Achish summoned David and said to him, &#8220;As surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you<n id="1" /> serving<n id="2" /> with me in the army.<n id="3" /> I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion<n id="4" /> of the leaders, you are not reliable.<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them,<n id="1" /> they<n id="2" /> sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah,<n id="3" /> in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob.<n id="4" />p>

Absalom said to Joab, &#8220;Look, I sent a message to you saying, &#8216;Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message:<n id="1" /> &#8220;Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.&#8221;&#8217; Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">But the soldiers replied,<n id="1" /> &#8220;You should not do this!<n id="2" /> For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won&#8217;t be too concerned about us.<n id="3" /> Even if half of us should die, they won&#8217;t be too concerned about us. But you<n id="4" /> are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.&#8221;

I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I<n id="1" /> taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I<n id="2" /> continue to be a burden to my lord the king?

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, &#8220;There is still one man through whom we can seek the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s will.<n id="1" /> But I despise<n id="2" /> him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.<n id="3" /> Jehoshaphat said, &#8220;The king should not say such things.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">She said, &#8220;If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,<n id="1" /> which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king&#8217;s provinces.

Once again there will be sounds<n id="1" /> of joy and gladness and the glad celebrations of brides and grooms.<n id="2" /> Once again people will bring their thank offerings to the temple of the <sc>Lordsc> and will say, &#8220;Give thanks to the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all. For the <sc>Lordsc> is good and his unfailing love lasts forever.&#8221;<n id="3" /> For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="4" /> that I will restore the land to what it was<n id="5" /> in days of old.&#8217;<n id="6" />p>