Then<n id="1" /> Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll.

<p class="bodytext">When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, &#8220;Here&#8217;s a gift<n id="1" /> for you from the looting of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s enemies!&#8221;

for they had not met the Israelites with food<n id="1" /> and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.)

<p class="poetry">It is like the dew of Hermon,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">which flows down upon the hills of Zion.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed<n id="3" /> that is where the <sc>Lordsc> has decreedp> <p class="poetry">a blessing will be available &#8211; eternal life.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">For I will pour water on the parched ground<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and cause streams to flow<n id="2" /> on the dry land.p> <p class="poetry">I will pour my spirit on your offspringp> <p class="poetry">and my blessing on your children.p>

And it will come about that just as you (both Judah and Israel) were a curse to the nations, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid! Instead, be strong!&#8217;p>

<p class="bodytext">So Esau hated<n id="1" /> Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother.<n id="2" /> Esau said privately,<n id="3" /> &#8220;The time<n id="4" /> of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill<n id="5" /> my brother Jacob!&#8221;p>

From the time<n id="1" /> Potiphar<n id="2" /> appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the <sc>Lordsc> blessed<n id="3" /> the Egyptian&#8217;s household for Joseph&#8217;s sake. The blessing of the <sc>Lordsc> was on everything that he had, both<n id="4" /> in his house and in his fields.<n id="5" />

When the <sc>Lordsc> your God brings you into the land you are to possess, you must pronounce the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">On the other hand, you may slaughter and eat meat as you please when the <sc>Lordsc> your God blesses you<n id="1" /> in all your villages.<n id="2" /> Both the ritually pure and impure may eat it, whether it is a gazelle or an ibex.

But the <sc>Lordsc> your God refused to listen to Balaam and changed<n id="1" /> the curse to a blessing, for the <sc>Lordsc> your God loves<n id="2" /> you.

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses<n id="1" /> I have set before you, you will reflect upon them<n id="2" /> in all the nations where the <sc>Lordsc> your God has banished you.

Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live!

She answered, &#8220;Please give me a special present.<n id="1" /> Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water. So he gave her both upper and lower springs.p>

She answered, &#8220;Please give me a special present.<n id="1" /> Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.&#8221; So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.<n id="2" />p>

Now be willing to bless your servant&#8217;s dynasty<n id="1" /> so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, have spoken. By your blessing may your servant&#8217;s dynasty be blessed on into the future!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet. Naaman<n id="1" /> came and stood before him. He said, &#8220;For sure<n id="2" /> I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel! Now, please accept a gift from your servant.&#8221;

Don&#8217;t listen to Hezekiah!&#8217; For this is what the king of Assyria says, &#8216;Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me.<n id="1" /> Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,

The Levites &#8211; Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah &#8211; said, &#8220;Stand up and bless the <sc>LORDsc> your God!&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">&#8220;May you be blessed, O <sc>LORDsc> our God, from age to age.<n id="1" /> May your glorious name<n id="2" /> be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise.

Don&#8217;t listen to Hezekiah!&#8217; For this is what the king of Assyria says, &#8216;Send me a token of your submission and surrender to me.<n id="1" /> Then each of you may eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,