Saying 26

¹⁶ King Solomon made two hundred large shields^(A) of hammered gold; six hundred shekels^[a] of gold went into each shield. ¹⁷ He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas^[b] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.^(B)

¹⁸ Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. ¹⁹ The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. ²⁰ Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. ²¹ All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.^(C) Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days.

Fear the Lord

¹² And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you^(A) but to fear^(B) the Lord your God, to walk^(C) in obedience to him, to love him,^(D) to serve the Lord^(E) your God with all your heart^(F) and with all your soul,^{(G) 13} and to observe the Lord’s commands^(H) and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?^(I)

¹⁴ To the Lord your God belong the heavens,^(J) even the highest heavens,^(K) the earth and everything in it.^{(L) 15} Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved^(M) them, and he chose you,^(N) their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today.^{(O) 16} Circumcise^(P) your hearts,^(Q) therefore, and do not be stiff-necked^(R) any longer. ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods^(S) and Lord of lords,^(T) the great God, mighty and awesome,^(U) who shows no partiality^(V) and accepts no bribes.^{(W) 18} He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow,^(X) and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.^{(Y) 19} And you are to love^(Z) those who are foreigners,^(AA) for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.^{(AB) 20} Fear the Lord your God and serve him.^(AC) Hold fast^(AD) to him and take your oaths in his name.^{(AE) 21} He is the one you praise;^(AF) he is your God, who performed for you those great^(AG) and awesome wonders^(AH) you saw with your own eyes. ²² Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all,^(AI) and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.^(AJ)