Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper
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Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
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"If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
Yet who can keep from speaking?
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Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have a strengthened the weak hands.
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Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have a made firm the feeble knees.
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But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
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b Is not your fear of God your c confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?
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"Remember: d who that was innocent ever perished?
Or where were the upright cut off?
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As I have seen, those who e plow iniquity
and sow trouble reap the same.
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By f the breath of God they perish,
and by g the blast of his anger they are consumed.
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The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,
h the teeth of the young lions are broken.
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The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,
and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
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"Now a word was brought to me stealthily;
my ear received i the whisper of it.
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Amid j thoughts from k visions of the night,
when k deep sleep falls on men,
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dread came upon me, and trembling,
which made all my bones shake.
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A spirit glided past my face;
the hair of my flesh stood up.
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It stood still,
but I could not discern its appearance.
l A form was before my eyes;
there was silence, then I heard m a voice:
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n 'Can mortal man be in the right before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?
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Even in his servants o he puts no trust,
and his angels he charges with error;
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how much more those who dwell in houses of p clay,
whose foundation is in q the dust,
who are crushed like r the moth.
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Between s morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;
they perish forever t without anyone regarding it.
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Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,
u do they not die, and that without wisdom?'
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"Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of v the holy ones will you turn?
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Surely vexation kills the fool,
and jealousy slays the simple.
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w I have seen the fool taking root,
but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
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His children are x far from safety;
they are crushed in y the gate,
and there is no one to deliver them.
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The hungry eat his harvest,
and he takes it even out of thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
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For affliction does not come from the dust,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
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but man is z born to trouble
as the sparks fly upward.
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"As for me, I would seek God,
and to God would I commit my cause,
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who a does great things and b unsearchable,
c marvelous things without number:
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he gives d rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
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he e sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
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He f frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
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He g catches the wise in their own craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
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They meet with darkness in the daytime
and h grope at noonday as in the night.
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But he i saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
and from the hand of the mighty.
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So the poor have hope,
and j injustice shuts her mouth.
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"Behold, k blessed is the one whom God reproves;
therefore l despise not the discipline of the m Almighty.
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For he wounds, but he n binds up;
he o shatters, but his hands heal.
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He will p deliver you from six troubles;
in seven no q evil shall touch you.
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r In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword.
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You shall be s hidden from the lash of the tongue,
and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
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At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
and shall not fear t the beasts of the earth.
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For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
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You shall know that your u tent is at peace,
and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
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You shall know also that your v offspring shall be many,
and your descendants as w the grass of the earth.
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You shall come to your grave in x ripe old age,
like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
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Behold, this we have y searched out; it is true.
Hear, and know it for your good."
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Cross References
Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
Hebrews 12:12
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.
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Cross References
Job 4:3
Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
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Cross References
Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
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Cross References
Job 31:24
If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence.
Proverbs 3:26
For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
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Cross References
Psalms 37:25
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
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Cross References
Hosea 10:13
You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors.
Psalms 7:14
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.
Proverbs 22:8
Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.
Galatians 6:7 - 8
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
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Cross References
Isaiah 30:33
For a burning place has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
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Cross References
Job 15:30
He will not depart from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and by the breath of his mouth he will depart.
Exodus 15:8
At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.
Psalms 18:15
Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
Isaiah 11:4
But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
2 Thessalonians 2:8
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.
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Cross References
Psalms 58:6
O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
Job 29:17
I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
Psalms 3:7
Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
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Cross References
Job 26:14
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?
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Cross References
Job 20:2
Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.
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Cross References
Job 33:15
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds.
Genesis 2:21
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
Genesis 15:12
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.
1 Samuel 26:12
So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
Isaiah 29:10
For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).
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Cross References
Job 33:15
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds.
Genesis 2:21
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
Genesis 15:12
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.
1 Samuel 26:12
So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.
Isaiah 29:10
For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).
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Cross References
Numbers 12:8
With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
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Cross References
1 Kings 19:12
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
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Cross References
Job 9:2
Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?
Job 10:4
Have you eyes of flesh? Do you see as man sees?
Job 25:4
How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?
Job 32:2
Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.
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Cross References
Job 15:15
Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.
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Cross References
Job 10:9
Remember that you have made me like clay; and w...
Job 13:12
Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defense...
Job 33:6
Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was p...
Isaiah 64:8
But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the...
2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to s...
2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the tent that is our earthl...
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Cross References
Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Genesis 18:27
Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
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Cross References
Job 13:28
Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
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Cross References
Psalms 90:5 - 6
You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:
Isaiah 38:12
My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me like a shepherd's tent; like a weaver I have rolled up my life; he cuts me off from the loom; from day to night you bring me to an end.
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Cross References
Isaiah 42:25
So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart.
Isaiah 57:1
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity.
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Cross References
Job 36:12
But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
Proverbs 5:23
He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.
Proverbs 10:21
The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
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Cross References
Job 15:15
Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.
Psalms 89:5
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
Psalms 89:7
A God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?
Zechariah 14:5
And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
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Cross References
Jeremiah 12:2 - 3
You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their heart.
Psalms 37:35 - 36
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
Psalms 73:18 - 20
Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
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Cross References
Psalms 119:155
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
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Cross References
Job 29:7
When I went out to the gate of the city, when I...
Psalms 127:5
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with th...
Proverbs 22:22
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or cru...
Joshua 20:4
He shall flee to one of these cities and shall ...
Amos 5:12
For I know how many are your transgressions and...
Ruth 4:1
Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down t...
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Cross References
Job 14:1
Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.
Genesis 3:17 - 19
And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
Ecclesiastes 2:23
For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
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Cross References
Job 9:10
Who does great things beyond searching out, and...
Job 37:5
God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does...
Psalms 40:5
You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondro...
Psalms 72:18
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alo...
Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and know...
Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of...
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Cross References
Job 9:10
Who does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number.
Job 11:7
Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
Job 34:24
He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.
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Cross References
Job 10:16
And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion and again work wonders against me.
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Cross References
Psalms 65:9 - 10
You visit the earth and water it; you greatly e...
Psalms 147:8
He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares ...
Jeremiah 5:24
They do not say in their hearts, 'Let us fear t...
Jeremiah 14:22
Are there any among the false gods of the natio...
Acts 14:17
Yet he did not leave himself without witness, f...
Psalms 104:10
You make springs gush forth in the valleys; the...
Psalms 104:13
From your lofty abode you water the mountains; ...
Matthew 5:45
So that you may be sons of your Father who is i...
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Cross References
1 Samuel 2:7
The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
Psalms 113:7
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap.
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Cross References
Nehemiah 4:15
When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
Psalms 33:10
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
Isaiah 8:10
Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness.
Psalms 9:15 - 16
The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
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Cross References
Job 12:25
They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Deuteronomy 28:29
And you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you.
Isaiah 59:10
We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
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Cross References
Psalms 35:10
All my bones shall say, "O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?
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Cross References
Psalms 107:42
The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Psalms 63:11
But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
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Cross References
Psalms 94:12
Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:11
My son, do not despise the Lord 's discipline or be weary of his reproof.
Hebrews 12:5
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
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Cross References
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
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Cross References
Isaiah 30:26
Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Hosea 6:1
Come, let us return to the Lord ; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:39
'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
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Cross References
Psalms 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalms 91:3
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
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Cross References
Psalms 91:10
No evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
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Cross References
Psalms 33:19
That he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 37:19
They are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
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Cross References
Psalms 31:20
In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
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Cross References
Isaiah 11:8 - 9
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
Isaiah 35:9
No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.
Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the Lord.
Ezekiel 34:25
I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
Hosea 2:18
And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety.
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Cross References
Job 21:9
Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
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Cross References
Job 21:8
Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes.
Psalms 112:2
His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
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Cross References
Psalms 72:16
May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!
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Cross References
Genesis 15:15
As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.
Genesis 25:8
Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
Genesis 35:29
And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Proverbs 9:11
For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
Proverbs 10:27
The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
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Cross References
Psalms 111:2
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.