But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow or a sheep or a goat; they are holy. You must splash<n id="1" /> their blood on the altar and burn their fat for an offering made by fire for a pleasing aroma to the <sc>Lordsc>.

everything that may stand the fire, you are to pass through the fire,<n id="1" /> and it will be ceremonially clean, but it must still be purified with the water of purification. Anything that cannot withstand the fire you must pass through the water.

However, you may not eat the following animals among those that chew the cud or those that have divided hooves: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger.<n id="1" /> (Although they chew the cud, they do not have divided hooves and are therefore ritually impure to you).

You are to celebrate the festival seven days before the <sc>Lordsc> your God in the place he<n id="1" /> chooses, for he<n id="2" /> will bless you in all your productivity and in whatever you do;<n id="3" /> so you will indeed rejoice!

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized<n id="1" /> him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.

You will feel your way along at noon like the blind person does in darkness and you will not succeed in anything you do;<n id="1" /> you will be constantly oppressed and continually robbed, with no one to save you.

But stay about three thousand feet behind it.<n id="1" /> Keep your distance<n id="2" /> so you can see<n id="3" /> which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before.&#8221;p>

Gideon said to God, &#8220;Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign.<n id="1" /> Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.&#8221;<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Gideon took a hundred men to the edge of the camp<n id="1" /> at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guards. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars they were carrying.<n id="2" />

Samson called to the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;O Master, <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge<n id="2" /> against the Philistines for my two eyes!&#8221;

the Israelites counterattacked.<n id="1" /> Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites;<n id="2" /> they struck down<n id="3" /> about thirty men. They said, &#8220;There&#8217;s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">So her husband Elkanah said to her, &#8220;Do what you think best.<n id="1" /> Stay until you have weaned him. May the <sc>Lordsc> fulfill his promise.&#8221;<n id="2" />p> <p class="bodytext">So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

<p class="bodytext">Then Samuel said to the people, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid. You have indeed sinned.<n id="1" /> However, don&#8217;t turn aside from the <sc>Lordsc>. Serve the <sc>Lordsc> with all your heart.

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Then Saul said to David, &#8220;Here&#8217;s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior<n id="2" /> for me and fight the battles of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221; For Saul thought, &#8220;There&#8217;s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">The priest replied to David, &#8220;I don&#8217;t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers<n id="1" /> have abstained from sexual relations with women.&#8221;<n id="2" />

Now David had been thinking,<n id="1" /> &#8220;In vain I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the desert. I didn&#8217;t take anything from him. But he has repaid my good with evil.

Achish replied to David, &#8220;I am convinced that you are as reliable<n id="1" /> as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, &#8216;He must not go up with us in the battle.&#8217;

Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people<n id="1" /> of Judah followed David.

So David said, &#8220;Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul&#8217;s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

he stood his ground<n id="1" /> and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it<n id="2" /> seemed stuck to his sword. The <sc>Lordsc> gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.p>