Guide
Writings: The Third Section of the Jewish Bible
1200 BCE–332 BCE
Ketuvim (Writings) is the third and final section of the Jewish Bible and the last to gain canonical status. It includes a diverse assemblage of works in a variety of genres.
The book of Psalms is an anthology of 150 poetic prayers expressing praise of God, thanksgiving, petition, and lament. Proverbs is a collection of proverbs and wisdom aimed at inculcating practical life lessons. Job is a philosophical and theological book that grapples with the question of why the righteous suffer. The book of Daniel, one of the latest works in the Jewish Bible, is the earliest example of the genre of apocalypse, which describes the revelation of hidden secrets, often about the future, leading up to the end of days.
Five of the books in Ketuvim, referred to collectively as the Five Scrolls, are traditionally read on specific occasions on the Jewish calendar. The Song of Songs, a collection of love poetry, is read on Passover. Ruth, which tells the story of an impoverished Moabite woman who becomes the ancestor of King David, is read on Shavuot. Lamentations, a set of five poems lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, is read on Tishah be-Av, a fast day commemorating the Temple’s destruction. Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet, a philosophical work that grapples with the fragility of life, is read on Sukkot. The book of Esther, a burlesque comedy that provides the explanation for the holiday of Purim, is read on that day.
Ketuvim also includes historical works. The book of Chronicles (divided into 1 and 2 Chronicles in most Jewish Bibles) reviews the history of humanity and the people of Israel from Adam until the proclamation of Cyrus permitting the exiled Jews to return to Judah in 539 BCE. Ezra-Nehemiah (divided into Ezra and Nehemiah in most Jewish Bibles) takes up the narrative where Chronicles leaves off, describing the return to the land, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the various challenges faced by the former exiles reestablishing themselves in the land.
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King David (Chronicles)
1 Chronicles 15–16, 22–23, 28 (selections)
He had houses made for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the Ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. Then David gave orders that…
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King Solomon (Chronicles)
2 Chronicles 1–2
Solomon son of David took firm hold of his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great. Solomon summoned all Israel—the officers of…
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Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 17:1–9|19:4–11
His [Asa’s] son Jehoshaphat succeeded him as king, and took firm hold of Israel. He stationed troops in all the fortified towns of Judah, and stationed garrisons throughout the land of…
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Hezekiah (Chronicles)
2 Chronicles 29:1–36|32:1–33
Hezekiah became king at the age of twenty-five, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah…
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Manasseh (Chronicles)
2 Chronicles 33:1–20
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. He did what was displeasing to the Lord, following the abhorrent practices of the nations that the…
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Josiah (Chronicles)
2 Chronicles 34–35
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did what was pleasing to the Lord…
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The Last Kings of Judah
2 Chronicles 36:1–21
The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king instead of his father in Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king and he reigned three months in…
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Epilogue to Chronicles: The Proclamation of Cyrus
2 Chronicles 36:22–23
And in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, when the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah was fulfilled, the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his…
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Cyrus’ Proclamation and Rebuilding the Temple
Ezra 1–4 (selections)
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, when the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah was fulfilled, the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout…
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Artaxerxes Authorizes Ezra to Lead Another Group to Jerusalem
Ezra 7
After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah son of Azariah son of Hilkiah son of Shallum son of Zadok son of Ahitub son of Amariah son of Azariah son of…
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Nehemiah’s Prayer
Nehemiah 1
The narrative of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:
In the month of Kislev of the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress of Shushan, Hanani, one of my brothers, together with some men of Judah, arrived…
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Rebuilding Jerusalem
Nehemiah 2–6 (selections)
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, wine was set before him; I took the wine and gave it to the king—I had never been out of sorts in his presence. The king…
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Ezra Reads the Teaching to the People
Nehemiah 7:72b–8:18
When the seventh month arrived—the Israelites being [settled] in their towns—the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the…
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The People Pledge to Obey the Teaching
Nehemiah 10
“In view of all this, we make this pledge and put it in writing; and on the sealed copy [are subscribed] our officials, our Levites, and our priests.
“On the sealed copy [are subscribed]: Nehemiah…
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The Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem
Nehemiah 12:27–47
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites, wherever they lived, were sought out and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate a joyful dedication with thanks-giving and with song, accompanied…
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Ruth
Ruth 1–4
In the days when the chieftains ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of Bethlehem in Judah, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of Moab. The man’s name…
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Esther
Esther 1–8
It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—that Ahasuerus who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. In those days, when King Ahasuerus occupied the royal…
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Court Legends of Daniel
Daniel 1, 5–6
Biblical court legends explore the protagonists' wisdom and divine protection in service to foreign kings.
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Apocalyptic Visions
Daniel 7–12 (selections)
In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and a vision of his mind in bed; afterward he wrote down the dream. Beginning the account, Daniel related the following…
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The Song of Songs
Song of Songs 1–8 (selections)
The Song of Songs is a collection of love poetry using natural and royal imagery to express longing and sensual enjoyment between lovers.
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Lamentations
Lamentations 1–3 (selections)
Lamentations uses moving imagery to memorialize the catastrophe of the destruction of Jerusalem.
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Praise the Lord for He is Good
Psalm 136
Each verse of this psalm recounting divine acts of creation and rescue is punctuated with a refrain of God's eternal love.
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Psalm 1
Psalm 1
Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked,
or taken the path of sinners,
or joined the company of the insolent;
rather, the teaching of the Lord is his delight,
and he studies…
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Psalm 6
Psalm 6
For the leader; with instrumental music on the sheminith. A psalm of David.
O Lord, do not punish me in anger, do not chastise me in fury.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I languish; heal me, O Lord…
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Psalm 8
Psalm 8
For the leader; on the gittith. A psalm of David.
O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name throughout the earth,
You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!
From the mouths of…
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Psalm 15
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
Lord, who may sojourn in Your tent,
who may dwell on Your holy mountain?
He who lives without blame,
who does what is right,
and in his heart acknowledges the truth;
whose…
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Psalm 19
Psalm 19
For the leader. A psalm of David.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
the sky proclaims His handiwork.
Day to day makes utterance,
night to night speaks out.
There is no utterance,
there are no…
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Psalm 23
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me to water in places of repose;
He renews my life;
He guides me in right paths
as…
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Psalm 29
Psalm 29
A psalm of David.
Ascribe to the Lord, O divine beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name;
bow down to the Lord, majestic in holiness.
The voice of…
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Psalm 30
Psalm 30
A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the House.
I extol You, O Lord,
for You have lifted me up,
and not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, my God,
I cried out to You,
and You…
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Psalm 48
Psalm 48
A song. A psalm of the Korahites.
The Lord is great and much acclaimed in the city of our God,
His holy mountain—
fair-crested, joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, summit of Zaphon,
city of the…
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Psalm 50
Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
God, the Lord God spoke
and summoned the world from east to west.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God appeared
—let our God come and not fail to act!
Devouring fire preceded Him;
i…
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Psalm 51
Psalm 51
For the leader. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba.
Have mercy upon me, O God,
as befits Your faithfulness;
in keeping with Your abundant…
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Psalm 72
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
O God, endow the king with Your judgments,
the king’s son with Your righteousness;
that he may judge Your people rightly,
Your lowly ones, justly.
Let the mountains produce well-being…
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Psalm 79
Psalm 79
A psalm of Asaph.
O God, heathens have entered Your domain,
defiled Your holy temple,
and turned Jerusalem into ruins.
They have left Your servants’ corpses
as food for the fowl of heaven,
and the…
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Psalm 91
Psalm 91
O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High
and abide in the protection of Shaddai—
I say of the Lord, my refuge and stronghold,
my God in whom I trust,
that He will save you from the fowler’s…
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Psalm 92
Psalm 92
A psalm. A song; for the sabbath day.
It is good to praise the Lord,
to sing hymns to Your name, O Most High,
To proclaim Your steadfast love at daybreak,
Your faithfulness each night
With a ten…
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Psalm 96
Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song,
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name,
proclaim His victory day after day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wondrous deeds, among…
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Psalm 97
Psalm 97
The Lord is king!
Let the earth exult,
the many islands rejoice!
Dense clouds are around Him,
righteousness and justice are the base of His
throne.
Fire is His vanguard,
burning His foes on every…
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Psalm 104
Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
O Lord, my God, You are very great;
You are clothed in glory and majesty,
wrapped in a robe of light;
You spread the heavens like a tent cloth.
He sets the rafters of…
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Psalm 105
Psalm 105
Praise the Lord;
call on His name;
proclaim His deeds among the peoples.
Sing praises to Him;
speak of all His wondrous acts.
Exult in His holy name;
let all who seek the Lord rejoice.
Turn to…
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Psalm 114
Psalm 114
When Israel went forth from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange
speech,
Judah became His holy one,
Israel, His dominion.
The sea saw them and fled,
Jordan ran backward,
mountains…
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Psalm 126
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
When the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion
—we see it as in a dream—
our mouths shall be filled with laughter,
our tongues, with songs of joy.
Then shall they say among the…
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Psalm 132
Psalm 132
A song of ascents.
O Lord, remember in David’s favor
his extreme self-denial,
how he swore to the Lord,
vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
“I will not enter my house,
nor will I mount my bed,
I…
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Psalm 137
Psalm 137
By the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat,
sat and wept,
as we thought of Zion.
There on the poplars
we hung up our lyres,
for our captors asked us there for songs,
our tormentors, for amusement,
“Si…
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Psalm 148
Psalm 148
Hallelujah.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise Him on high.
Praise Him, all His angels,
praise Him, all His hosts.
Praise Him, sun and moon,
praise Him, all bright stars.
Praise Him…
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Psalm 150
Psalm 150
Hallelujah.
Praise God in His sanctuary;
praise Him in the sky, His stronghold.
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
praise Him forHis exceeding greatness.
Praise Him with blasts of the horn;
praise…
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David’s Thanksgiving Prayer on Completing Preparations for the Temple
1 Chronicles 29:10–19
King David's prayer of thanksgiving expresses gratitude after finishing preparations for the future Temple in Jerusalem.
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A Prayer for the Restoration of Judah
Lamentations 5
The book of Lamentations is a collection of laments over the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and calls to restore the nation of Judah.
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Daniel’s Prayer upon Learning the Secret of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Daniel 2:19–23
Daniel expresses his gratitude for the divine revelation that allowed him to interpret the king's dream.
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The People’s Penitential Prayer after Hearing the Teaching
Nehemiah 9
The Israelites respond with penitence and commitment following Ezra's reading of the Teaching of God.
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Israel as a Vine
Psalm 80:8–20
O God of hosts, restore us;
show Your favor that we may be delivered.
You plucked up a vine from Egypt;
You expelled nations and planted it.
You cleared a place for it;
it took deep root and…
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Old Age
Ecclesiastes 12:1–7
So appreciate your vigor in the days of your youth, before those days of sorrow come and those years arrive of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before sun and light and moon and…
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Prologue to Proverbs
Proverbs 1:1–7
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
For learning wisdom and discipline; For understanding words of discernment;
For acquiring the discipline for success, Righteousness, justice…
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In Praise of Wisdom
Proverbs 3:13–20
Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
The man who attains understanding.
Her value in trade is better than silver,
Her yield, greater than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
All of your goods…
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Wisdom’s Self-Praise
Proverbs 8:1–36
It is Wisdom calling,
Understanding raising her voice.
She takes her stand at the topmost heights,
By the wayside, at the crossroads,
Near the gates at the city entrance;
At the entryways, she…
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Where Can Wisdom be Found?
Job 28
There is a mine for silver,
And a place where gold is refined.
Iron is taken out of the earth,
And copper smelted from rock.
He sets bounds for darkness;
To every limit man probes,
To rocks in…
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Don’t Join a Gang
Proverbs 1:8–19
My son, heed the discipline of your father,
And do not forsake the instruction of your mother;
For they are a graceful wreath upon your head,
A necklace about your throat.
My son, if sinners…
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The Path to Wisdom
Proverbs 2
My son, if you accept my words
And treasure up my commandments;
If you make your ear attentive to wisdom
And your mind open to discernment;
If you call to understanding
And cry aloud to…
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The Wisdom of Piety
Proverbs 3:1–12
My son, do not forget my teaching
But let your mind retain my commandments;
For they will bestow on you length of days,
Years of life and well-being.
Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you;…
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Acquire Wisdom
Proverbs 4:1–9
Sons, heed the discipline of a father;
Listen and learn discernment,
For I give you good instruction;
Do not forsake my teaching.
Once I was a son to my father,
The tender darling of my mother.…
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Avoid Another Man’s Wife and Find a Wife of Your Own
Proverbs 5 (selections)
My son, listen to my wisdom;
Incline your ear to my insight,
That you may have foresight,
While your lips hold fast to knowledge.
For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey;
Her mouth is…
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Adultery Kills
Proverbs 6:20–35 (selections)
My son, keep your father’s commandment;
Do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
Tie them over your heart always;
Bind them around your throat.
When you walk it will lead you;
When you lie down…
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From The Proverbs of Solomon
Proverbs 17
Better a dry crust with peace
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
A capable servant will dominate an incompetent son
And share the inheritance with the brothers.
For silver—the crucible;
Fo…
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The Words of the Sages: The Thirty Maxims
Proverbs 22:17–24:22
Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;Pay attention to my wisdom.It is good that you store them inside you,And that all of them be constantly on your lips,That you may…
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A Woman of Valor
Proverbs 31:10–31
What a rare find is a capable wife!
Her worth is far beyond that of rubies.
Her husband puts his confidence in her,
And lacks no good thing.
She is good to him, never bad,
All the days of her…
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Prologue to Job
Job 1:1–2:13
There was a man in the land of Uz named Job. That man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; his possessions were seven…
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Job Curses His Birth
Job 3
Afterward, Job began to speak and cursed the day of his birth. Job spoke up and said:
Perish the day on which I was born,
And the night it was announced,
“A male has been conceived!”
May that day…
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The Dialogues between Job and his Friends. The First Cycle
Job 4–14 (selections)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite said in reply:If one ventures a word with you, will it be too much?But who can hold back his words?See, you have encouraged many;You have strengthened failing…
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The Dialogues between Job and his Friends. The Second Cycle
Job 20–21 (selections)
Zophar the Naamathite said in reply: [ . . . ]Do you not know this, that from time immemorial,Since man was set on earth,The joy of the wicked has been brief,The happiness of the impious…
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Job’s Final Speeches
Job 29, 31 (selections)
Job again took up his theme and said:O that I were as in months gone by,In the days when God watched over me,When His lamp shone over my head,When I walked in the dark by its light,When…
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Elihu Speaks
Job 32–34 (selections)
These three men ceased replying to Job, for he considered himself right. Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was angry—angry at Job because he thought himself…
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God Speaks
Job 38 (selections)
Then the Lord replied to Job out of the tempest and said:
Who is this who darkens counsel,
Speaking without knowledge?
Gird your loins like a man;
I will ask and you will inform Me.
Where were…
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Job Replies
Job 40 (selections)
Job said in reply to the Lord:
See, I am of small worth; what can I answer You?
I clap my hand to my mouth.
I have spoken once, and will not reply;
Twice, and will do so no more.
Then the Lord…
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Job’s Response to God
Job 42:1–6
Job said in reply to the Lord:
I know that You can do everything,
That nothing you propose is impossible for You.
Who is this who obscures counsel without knowledge?
Indeed, I spoke without…
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Epilogue
Job 42:7–17
After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am incensed at you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about Me as did My servant Job. Now…
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Koheleth’s Attempts to Find Meaning in Life
Ecclesiastes 1–2 (selections)
I, Koheleth, was king in Jerusalem over Israel. I set my mind to study and to probe with wisdom all that happens under the sun.—An unhappy business, that, which God gave men to be…
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A Proper Time for Everything
Ecclesiastes 3 (selections)
A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven:
A time for being born and a time for dying,
A time for planting and a time for uprooting the planted;
A time for slaying…
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Advice and Further Reflections
Ecclesiastes 5–11 (selections)
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. For He has no pleasure in fools; what you vow, fulfill. It is better not to vow at all than to vow and not fulfill. [ . . . ]If you…
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Conclusion to Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 11–12 (selections)
How sweet is the light, what a delight for the eyes to behold the sun! Even if a man lives many years, let him enjoy himself in all of them, remembering how many the days of darkness are…
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Epilogue to Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 12:9–14 (selections)
A further word: Because Koheleth was a sage, he continued to instruct the people. He listened to and tested the soundness of many maxims. Koheleth sought to discover useful sayings and recorded…
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Purim Letters
Esther 9:20–23, 29–31
According to the biblical account, Mordecai and Esther wrote letters to establish the religious festival of Purim.
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The Samarians' Correspondence with Artaxerxes
Ezra 4:7–24
Samarian opponents of the returning exiles sought the Persian king's intervention to prevent the rebuilding of the Temple.
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The Persian Governor of Yehud's Correspondence with Darius
Ezra 5:6–6:13
Tattenai, the Persian governor of Yehud, writes to the Persian king inquiring into the rebuilding of the Temple.
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Messages between the Opponents of the Jews and Nehemiah
Nehemiah 6:1–8
This biblical account documents the attempts by regional opponents to obstruct Nehemiah's reconstruction of Jerusalem's walls.
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The Descendants of Adam and the Genealogies of the Israelite Tribes
1 Chronicles 1:1–2:2
The genealogy that begins the book of Chronicles traces Israelite lineage from Adam to the line of the Davidic monarchy.
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The Exiles Who Returned to Jerusalem and Judah
Ezra 2:1–67
The book of Ezra lists the groups of Jewish exiles who returned to Judah following the proclamation of King Cyrus.
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The People Who Rebuilt Jerusalem
Nehemiah 3:1–15
The book of Nehemiah lists the workers and leaders who assisted in the reconstruction of Jerusalem following the exile.
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Praise of the Woman’s Body
Song of Songs 4:1–7
The Song of Songs is full of sensual and erotic poetry, including this celebration of the female body.
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Praise of the Man’s Body
Song of Songs 5:10–16
The Song of Songs celebrates the male lover's body in this sensual and erotic poem.
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Virtues That Merit Being in God’s Presence
Psalm 15
This biblical psalm serves as an educational lesson, detailing the specific moral qualities that merit standing in the presence of God.
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The Qualities of God’s Teachings
Psalm 19:8–11
This biblical psalm offers a lesson on the divine characteristics and moral significance of God's teachings.
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How to Praise God
Psalm 150
The final entry in the biblical book of Psalms celebrates the many ways to praise God through music and dance.
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Three Things . . . Four Things
Proverbs 30:21–28
A collection of wisdom sayings attributed to Agur from Massa explores the world's natural wonders.