יָכֹל

When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.

And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” And they could not eat it.

Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to wage war against Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.

Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!

This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you; he cannot deliver you from my hand.

…but David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

…so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud. For the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

The priests were unable to enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled it.

Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar he had made could not hold all these offerings.

And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

However, since there were not enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings, their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites had been more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.

…since they had been unable to keep it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem.

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of these nations ever been able to deliver their land from my hand?

Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction has been able to deliver his people from my hand? How then can your God deliver you from my hand?

So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand!”

The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:

Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”

So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”

The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:

Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is Jewish, you will not prevail against him—for surely you will fall before him.”

For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

“If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.

Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.

“I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.

…lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes rejoice when I fall.

I crushed them so they could not rise; they have fallen under my feet.

Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.

There the evildoers lie fallen, thrown down and unable to rise.

For evils without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed within me.

They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?

When He struck the rock, water gushed out and torrents raged. But can He also give bread or supply His people with meat?”

Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.

…many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?

I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.

Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.

Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city.

When Moab appears on the high place, when he wearies himself and enters his sanctuary to pray, it will do him no good.