Years later the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites were still groaning under their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry went up to God,

He saw the slavery of the Israelites and was concerned for them.

If you do, I, the LORD, will answer them when they cry out to me for help,

Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "The LORD has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me"; so she named him Reuben.

"Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin; anoint him as ruler of my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines. I have seen the suffering of my people and have heard their cries for help."

He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering; he does not turn away from them, but answers when they call for help."

I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me; he freed me from all my fears.

The helpless call to him, and he answers; he saves them from all their troubles.

Yet the LORD heard them when they cried out, and he took notice of their distress.

He supplies the needs of those who honor him; he hears their cries and saves them.

from all their suffering. It was not an angel, but the LORD himself who saved them. In his love and compassion he rescued them. He had always taken care of them in the past,

Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin.

So the Egyptians put slave drivers over them to crush their spirits with hard labor. The Israelites built the cities of Pithom and Rameses to serve as supply centers for the king.

I must go down to find out whether or not the accusations which I have heard are true."

When I am ready to give up, he knows what I should do. In the path where I walk, my enemies have hidden a trap for me.