17 I will surely bless you(A) and make your descendants(B) as numerous as the stars in the sky(C) and as the sand on the seashore.(D) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,(E)

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He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(A)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[a] be.”(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:5 Or seed

60 And they blessed(A) Rebekah and said to her,

“Our sister, may you increase
    to thousands upon thousands;(B)
may your offspring possess
    the cities of their enemies.”(C)

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16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(A)

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22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless(A) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

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I will make your descendants(A) as numerous as the stars in the sky(B) and will give them all these lands,(C) and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,[b](D)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:4 Or seed
  2. Genesis 26:4 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)

Ask me,
    and I will make the nations(A) your inheritance,(B)
    the ends of the earth(C) your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron[a];(D)
    you will dash them to pieces(E) like pottery.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 2:9 Or will rule them with an iron scepter (see Septuagint and Syriac)

10 The Lord your God has increased(A) your numbers(B) so that today you are as numerous(C) as the stars in the sky.(D)

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12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand(A) of the sea, which cannot be counted.(B)’”

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The Seventh Trumpet

15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,(A) and there were loud voices(B) in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,(C)
    and he will reign for ever and ever.”(D)

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Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

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57 But thanks be to God!(A) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(B)

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68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(A)
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.(B)
69 He has raised up a horn[a](C) of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David(D)
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),(E)
71 salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors(F)
    and to remember his holy covenant,(G)
73     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:(H)
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him(I) without fear(J)
75     in holiness and righteousness(K) before him all our days.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king.

22 You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.(A)

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May he rule from sea to sea
    and from the River[a](A) to the ends of the earth.(B)
May the desert tribes bow before him
    and his enemies lick the dust.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates

David’s Victories(A)

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines(B) and subdued(C) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the Moabites.(D) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.(E)

Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer(F) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,(G) when he went to restore his monument at[a] the Euphrates(H) River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung(I) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

When the Arameans of Damascus(J) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons(K) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject(L) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.(M)

David took the gold shields(N) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah[c] and Berothai,(O) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

When Tou[d] king of Hamath(P) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,(Q) 10 he sent his son Joram[e] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated(R) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom[f](S) and Moab,(T) the Ammonites(U) and the Philistines,(V) and Amalek.(W) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David became famous(X) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites[g] in the Valley of Salt.(Y)

14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites(Z) became subject to David.(AA) The Lord gave David victory(AB) wherever he went.(AC)

David’s Officials(AD)

15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right(AE) for all his people. 16 Joab(AF) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat(AG) son of Ahilud was recorder;(AH) 17 Zadok(AI) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar(AJ) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;(AK) 18 Benaiah(AL) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites(AM) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.[h]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 8:3 Or his control along
  2. 2 Samuel 8:4 Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers
  3. 2 Samuel 8:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew Betah.
  4. 2 Samuel 8:9 Hebrew Toi, a variant of Tou; also in verse 10
  5. 2 Samuel 8:10 A variant of Hadoram
  6. 2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram
  7. 2 Samuel 8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (that is, Arameans)
  8. 2 Samuel 8:18 Or were chief officials (see Septuagint and Targum; see also 1 Chron. 18:17)

Joshua Installed as Leader

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,(A) the Lord said to Joshua(B) son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River(C) into the land(D) I am about to give to them(E)—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot,(F) as I promised Moses.(G) Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,(H) and from the great river, the Euphrates(I)—all the Hittite(J) country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.(K) No one will be able to stand against you(L) all the days of your life. As I was with(M) Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake(N) you. Be strong(O) and courageous,(P) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors(Q) to give them.

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey(R) all the law(S) my servant Moses(T) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,(U) that you may be successful wherever you go.(V) Keep this Book of the Law(W) always on your lips;(X) meditate(Y) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.(Z) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;(AA) do not be discouraged,(AB) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(AC)

10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:(AD)

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All these blessings will come on you(A) and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

You will be blessed(B) in the city and blessed in the country.(C)

The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.(D)

Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.(E)

The Lord will grant that the enemies(F) who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.(G)

The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless(H) you in the land he is giving you.

The Lord will establish you as his holy people,(I) as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands(J) of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name(K) of the Lord, and they will fear you. 11 The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock(L) and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.(M)

12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse(N) of his bounty,(O) to send rain(P) on your land in season and to bless(Q) all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.(R) 13 The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow(S) them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.(T)

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17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(A)
A star will come out of Jacob;(B)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(C)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(D)
    the skulls[a](E) of[b] all the people of Sheth.[c]
18 Edom(F) will be conquered;
    Seir,(G) his enemy, will be conquered,(H)
    but Israel(I) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(J)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  2. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  3. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters

25 because of your father’s God,(A) who helps(B) you,
    because of the Almighty,[a](C) who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,(D)
    blessings of the breast(E) and womb.(F)
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than[b] the bounty of the age-old hills.(G)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,(H)
    on the brow of the prince among[c] his brothers.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 49:25 Hebrew Shaddai
  2. Genesis 49:26 Or of my progenitors, / as great as
  3. Genesis 49:26 Or of the one separated from

28 May God give you heaven’s dew(A)
    and earth’s richness(B)
    an abundance of grain(C) and new wine.(D)
29 May nations serve you
    and peoples bow down to you.(E)
Be lord over your brothers,
    and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.(F)
May those who curse you be cursed
    and those who bless you be blessed.(G)

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For Samaria’s plague(A) is incurable;(B)
    it has spread to Judah.(C)
It has reached the very gate(D) of my people,
    even to Jerusalem itself.

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44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush(A) all those kingdoms(B) and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.(C) 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock(D) cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands(E)—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.(F) The dream is true(G) and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

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26 King Solomon also built ships(A) at Ezion Geber,(B) which is near Elath(C) in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:26 Or the Sea of Reeds

David Defeats the Ammonites(A)

10 In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash,(B) just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out(C) and overthrow it?” So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard,(D) cut off their garments at the buttocks,(E) and sent them away.

When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious(F) to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean(G) foot soldiers from Beth Rehob(H) and Zobah,(I) as well as the king of Maakah(J) with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.(K)

On hearing this, David sent Joab(L) out with the entire army of fighting men. The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 10 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai(M) his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. 11 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. 12 Be strong,(N) and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”(O)

13 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites(P) realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

15 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. 18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers.[a] He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. 19 When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject(Q) to them.

So the Arameans(R) were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 10:18 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 19:18); Hebrew horsemen

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