Light fires in them tomorrow, and burn incense before the Lord. Then we will see whom the Lord chooses as his holy one. You Levites are the ones who have gone too far!”

“But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation.

Word soon spread that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together and waited all night at the town gates. They kept quiet during the night, saying to themselves, “When the light of morning comes, we will kill him.”

At daybreak the woman returned to the house where her husband was staying. She collapsed at the door of the house and lay there until it was light.

So Ruth lay at Boaz’s feet until the morning, but she got up before it was light enough for people to recognize each other. For Boaz had said, “No one must know that a woman was here at the threshing floor.”

“Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.

Now get up early in the morning, and leave with your men as soon as it gets light.”

He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!”

But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?”

He shot arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were confused.

O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness.

is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.’

And in the morning when I tried to nurse my son, he was dead! But when I looked more closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”

“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

“What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”

The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

“What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”

The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the Lord our God, but you have abandoned him.

Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it.

Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light.

Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light?

“Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?

It is a land as dark as midnight, a land of gloom and confusion, where even the light is dark as midnight.’”