Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the country of Edom.

I own cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and slaves. I am sending you word, sir, in the hope of gaining your favor."

Jacob was frightened and worried. He divided into two groups the people who were with him, and also his sheep, goats, cattle, and camels.

After spending the night there, Jacob chose from his livestock as a present for his brother Esau: 200 female goats and 20 males, 200 female sheep and 20 males, 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 males.

(SEE 32:13)

He ordered the first servant, "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'Who is your master? Where are you going? Who owns these animals in front of you?'

He gave the same order to the second, the third, and to all the others who were in charge of the herds: "This is what you must say to Esau when you meet him.

He sent the gifts on ahead of him and spent that night in camp.

Jacob went ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

When Esau looked around and saw the women and the children, he asked, "Who are these people with you?" "These, sir, are the children whom God has been good enough to give me," Jacob answered.

then Leah and her children came, and last of all Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down.

But Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have."

Please accept this gift which I have brought for you; God has been kind to me and given me everything I need." Jacob kept on urging him until he accepted.

Please think this over and decide what to do. This could be disastrous for our master and all his family. He is so mean that he won't listen to anybody!"

Then she said to the servants, "You go on ahead and I will follow you." But she said nothing to her husband.

David had been thinking, "Why did I ever protect that fellow's property out here in the wilderness? Not a thing that belonged to him was stolen, and this is how he pays me back for the help I gave him!

When Abigail saw David, she quickly dismounted and threw herself on the ground

Please, don't pay any attention to Nabal, that good-for-nothing! He is exactly what his name means---a fool! I wasn't there when your servants arrived, sir.

Please, sir, accept this present I have brought you, and give it to your men.

If anyone should attack you and try to kill you, the LORD your God will keep you safe, as someone guards a precious treasure. As for your enemies, however, he will throw them away, as someone hurls stones with a sling.

then you will not have to feel regret or remorse, sir, for having killed without cause or for having taken your own revenge. And when the LORD has blessed you, sir, please do not forget me."

Thank God for your good sense and for what you have done today in keeping me from the crime of murder and from taking my own revenge.

Then David accepted what she had brought him and said to her, "Go back home and don't worry. I will do what you want."

My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else's debts?

Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you.

Get out of the trap like a bird or a deer escaping from a hunter.

Don't be too quick to go to court about something you have seen. If another witness later proves you wrong, what will you do then?

If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, do your best to settle the dispute before you get to court. If you don't, you will be dragged before the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail.

There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine."

If a king goes out with ten thousand men to fight another king who comes against him with twenty thousand men, he will sit down first and decide if he is strong enough to face that other king.

If he isn't, he will send messengers to meet the other king to ask for terms of peace while he is still a long way off.

Now, Job, make peace with God and stop treating him like an enemy; if you do, then he will bless you.

So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need; when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach them.

Turn to the LORD and pray to him, now that he is near.

Let the wicked leave their way of life and change their way of thinking. Let them turn to the LORD, our God; he is merciful and quick to forgive.

"Do your best to go in through the narrow door; because many people will surely try to go in but will not be able.

The master of the house will get up and close the door; then when you stand outside and begin to knock on the door and say, 'Open the door for us, sir!' he will answer you, 'I don't know where you come from!'

Hear what God says: "When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you." Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!

So then, as the Holy Spirit says, "If you hear God's voice today,

Instead, in order that none of you be deceived by sin and become stubborn, you must help one another every day, as long as the word "Today" in the scripture applies to us.

Afterward, you know, he wanted to receive his father's blessing; but he was turned back, because he could not find any way to change what he had done, even though in tears he looked for it.

Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, "Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash.

Tell them to throw him in prison and to put him on bread and water until I return safely."