‘Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually.

‘They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the oil used to supply it.

‘Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.’

‘Speak to Aaron and say to him, “When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.”’

Do not have two differing weights in your bag – one heavy, one light.

Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.’

Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.

He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.

You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.

he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.”

The next morning, I got up to nurse my son – and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.’

‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labour and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.’

He asked them, ‘What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, “Lighten the yoke your father put on us”?’

The young men who had grown up with him replied, ‘These people have said to you, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.” Now tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.’

‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labour and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.’

He asked them, ‘What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, “Lighten the yoke your father put on us”?’

The young men who had grown up with him replied, ‘The people have said to you, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.” Now tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.

Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him.

‘But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.

So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.

By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

That day – may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it.

Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?

‘Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul,