Moses: These people come to me seeking direction from God.

along with the grain offering on the altar. This is how the priest will cover the sin, guilt, and uncleanness of the person seeking to be cleansed; this person must be considered clean once again.

He will then present one of the turtledoves or young pigeons—whichever he can afford—one for the purification offering and the other for the burnt offering that accompanies the grain offering. The priest will cover the sin, guilt, and uncleanness before Me of the person seeking to be cleansed.

Do not seek revenge or hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself, for I am the Eternal One.

The Eternal One said to Moses.

So off they went, and they traveled for three days after leaving the Eternal’s mountain, known as Sinai or Horeb. At the very front of the traveling company was the precious box containing the terms of Israel’s agreement with their God—namely, the chest containing their covenant with the Eternal to seek out a good resting place.

Moses: The nations you’re going to displace seek guidance from people who practice divination and predicting. But the Eternal your God doesn’t want you to do that.

Moses: When the Eternal your God has destroyed the nations whose land He’s going to give you, when you’ve driven them out and have settled in their cities and are living in their houses,

so that anyone who accidentally or unintentionally kills a person may flee there. These cities shall be set up as a refuge from anyone seeking blood revenge.

If the person seeking to avenge in blood comes after him, the people of the city may not give up the slayer since the neighbor was killed by mistake and there was no premeditation or prior hatred.

These, then, were the cities set aside to be sanctuaries for all the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who killed a person accidentally could flee there and not die at the hands of someone seeking blood revenge until there was a trial before the congregation.

When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. Jael: Come inside, and I will show you the man you seek. So he went into the tent with her, and there lay Sisera dead, with a tent peg driven through his head.

Gideon made it into a priestly vest, sometimes used in seeking oracles, and put it in his hometown of Ophrah. But the people of Israel made an idol of it, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family as well.

Micah had a shrine, and in his house he had a priestly vest used in seeking oracles and the images of household gods. He had set aside one of his sons to be his priest.

He left Bethlehem in Judah to make his way as best he could. On his way, he arrived at Micah’s home in the hill country of Ephraim seeking work.

So the people of Dan chose five brave men from out of the entire tribe, men from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol, to explore the land and to seek a new home for them. “Go and explore the land,” was their charge. When they reached the hill country of Ephraim, they stayed in Micah’s home.

but now your kingdom, your dynasty, will not last. He has found a man who seeks His will and has appointed him king over all the people instead of you because you have not kept to what the Eternal One commanded.

Eternal One: I regret that I made Saul king over Israel because he has turned away from Me and from executing My commands. Samuel was distressed when he heard this, and he cried out to the Eternal One all night long.

Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. The one who seeks my life also seeks yours; you will certainly be safe with me.

Now, my lord, as the Eternal One lives and as you live, since the Eternal has kept you from senseless killing and from seizing vengeance yourself, may your enemies and all who seek to harm you, my lord, be like Nabal.

If anyone dares to rise up against you and seek your life, then you will be protected by the Eternal One, your True God, who will launch the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

Woman of Tekoa: Please, O king, ask the Eternal One, your True God, so that those seeking a blood debt will give up their vengeance and my son will live. David: As sure as the Eternal lives, not one hair of your son’s head will be damaged.

(turning to the rest) Listen, Abishai—and all of you! My own son seeks to kill me today, so why shouldn’t this man of Benjamin? Leave him alone and let him curse me, as the Eternal One wills it.

David: All right. I’ll do what you think is best. So David stood beside the gate while his soldiers marched out to fight against Absalom, organized into fighting units by the hundreds and by the thousands.

That’s why the Eternal has rewarded me for seeking righteousness; He’s rewarded me because He sees I have remained pure.