Therefore, I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.

It is not with you alone that I am making this covenant by oath,

<p class="poetry">For I raise up my hand to heaven,p> <p class="poetry">and say, &#8216;As surely as I live forever,p>

Now yes, it is true that<n id="1" /> I am a guardian,<n id="2" /> but there is another guardian who is a closer relative than I am.

This ought not to be,<n id="1" /> my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s people is not good.

<p class="bodytext">Samuel replied, &#8220;If that is the case,<n id="1" /> then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then Abner turned and asked, &#8220;Is that you, Asahel?&#8221; He replied, &#8220;Yes it is!&#8221;

Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you<n id="1" /> reaches me.&#8221;

Bathsheba replied, &#8220;That&#8217;s fine,<n id="1" /> I&#8217;ll speak to the king on your behalf.&#8221;p>

<n id="1" /><p class="poetry">&#8216;I am pure, without transgression;p> <p class="poetry">I am clean<n id="2" /> and have no iniquity.p>

<p class="poetry">But I<n id="1" /> am a worm,<n id="2" /> not a man;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">people insult me and despise me.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">He says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Stop your striving and recognize<n id="2" /> that I am God!p> <p class="poetry">I will be exalted<n id="3" /> over<n id="4" /> the nations! I will be exalted over<n id="5" /> the earth!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">He says:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Listen my people! I am speaking!p> <p class="poetry">Listen Israel! I am accusing you!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I am God, your God!p>

<p class="poetry">When the earth and all its inhabitants dissolve in fear,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I make its pillars secure.&#8221;<n id="2" /> (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc>, your God,p> <p class="poetry">the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt.p> <p class="poetry">Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry">Remember what I accomplished in antiquity!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Truly I am God, I have no peer;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I am God, and there is none like me,p>

<p class="poetry">Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Even if mothers<n id="3" /> were to forget,p> <p class="poetry">I could never forget you!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The sovereign <sc>Lordsc> has spoken to me clearly;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I have not rebelled,p> <p class="poetry">I have not turned back.p>

<p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc> your God,p> <p class="poetry">who churns up the sea so that its waves surge.p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies is his name!p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;O afflicted one, driven away,<n id="1" /> and unconsoled!p> <p class="poetry">Look, I am about to set your stones in antimonyp> <p class="poetry">and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.p>