But Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, "Bless me, God, and give me much land. Be with me and keep me from anything evil that might cause me pain." And God gave him what he prayed for.

All the ground that you march over will be yours. Your territory will extend from the desert in the south to the Lebanon Mountains in the north, and from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

"When the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he told your ancestors he would, and gives you all the land he has promised,

Then and there the LORD made a covenant with Abram. He said, "I promise to give your descendants all this land from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates River,

the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,

They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations.

I will make the borders of your land extend from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Mediterranean Sea and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give you power over the inhabitants of the land, and you will drive them out as you advance.

After I have driven out the nations before you and extended your territory, no one will try to conquer your country during the three festivals.

"But you are free to kill and eat your animals wherever you live. You may eat as many as the LORD gives you. All of you, whether ritually clean or unclean, may eat them, just as you would eat the meat of deer or antelope.

I know that you left because you were so anxious to get back home, but why did you steal my household gods?"

There were foreigners traveling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: "If only we could have some meat!

but for a whole month, until it comes out of your ears, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected the LORD who is here among you and have complained to him that you should never have left Egypt.' "

That place was named Kibroth Hattaavah (which means "Graves of Craving"), because there they buried the people who had craved meat.

but when he got over Amnon's death, he was filled with longing for his son Absalom.

David grew homesick and said, "How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!"

O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.

How I want to be there! I long to be in the LORD's Temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God.

He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

My heart aches with longing; I want to know your judgments at all times.

I want to obey your commands; give me new life, for you are righteous.

How I long for your saving help, O LORD! I find happiness in your law.

And so with deep affection they will pray for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown you.

God is my witness that I tell the truth when I say that my deep feeling for you all comes from the heart of Christ Jesus himself.

He is anxious to see you all and is very upset because you had heard that he was sick.