But he refused, saying<n id="1" /> to his master&#8217;s wife, &#8220;Look, my master does not give any thought<n id="2" /> to his household with me here,<n id="3" /> and everything that he owns he has put into my care.<n id="4" />

and I said to you, &#8216;Let my son go that he may serve<n id="1" /> me,&#8217; but since you have refused to let him go,<n id="2" /> I will surely kill<n id="3" /> your son, your firstborn!&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, &#8220;Go to your land,<n id="1" /> for the <sc>Lordsc> has refused to permit me to go<n id="2" /> with you.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">But he refused, saying, &#8220;I won&#8217;t eat!&#8221; Both his servants and the woman urged<n id="1" /> him to eat, so he gave in.<n id="2" /> He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed.

But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, &#8220;Get everyone out of here!&#8221;<n id="1" /> So everyone left.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, &#8220;Wound me!&#8221;<n id="1" /> But the man refused to wound him.

But Queen Vashti refused<n id="1" /> to come at the king&#8217;s bidding<n id="2" /> conveyed through the eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed<n id="3" /> him.p>

<p class="poetry">In my time of trouble I sought<n id="1" /> the Lord.p> <p class="poetry">I kept my hand raised in prayer throughout the night.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I<n id="3" /> refused to be comforted.p>

<p class="poetry">Why must I continually suffer such painful anguish?p> <p class="poetry">Why must I endure the sting of their insults like an incurable wound?p> <p class="poetry">Will you let me down when I need youp> <p class="poetry">like a brook one goes to for water, but that cannot be relied on?&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink it, tell them that the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says<n id="1" /> &#8216;You most certainly must drink it!<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The people of Israel are oppressed.p> <p class="poetry">So too are the people of Judah.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">All those who took them captive are holding them prisoners.p> <p class="poetry">They refuse to set them free.p>

<p class="bodytext">But his father refused and said, &#8220;I know, my son, I know. He too will become a nation and he too will become great. In spite of this, his younger brother will be even greater and his descendants will become a multitude<n id="1" /> of nations.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and told him, &#8220;Thus says the <sc>Lordsc>, the God of the Hebrews: &#8216;How long do you refuse<n id="1" /> to humble yourself before me?<n id="2" /> Release my people so that they may serve me!

But if the man does not want to marry his brother&#8217;s widow, then she<n id="1" /> must go to the elders at the town gate and say, &#8220;My husband&#8217;s brother refuses to preserve his brother&#8217;s name in Israel; he is unwilling to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to me!&#8221;

But Asahel<n id="1" /> refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his<n id="2" /> spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel<n id="3" /> collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner.<n id="4" /> Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she<n id="1" /> said to Ahab, &#8220;Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he&#8217;s dead.&#8221;

They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt.<n id="1" /> But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love.<n id="2" /> You did not abandon them,

They have gone back to the evil ways<n id="1" /> of their ancestors of old who refused to obey what I told them. They, too, have paid allegiance to<n id="2" /> other gods and worshiped them. Both the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah<n id="3" /> have violated the covenant I made with their ancestors.

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;A sound is heard in Ramah,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">a sound of crying in bitter grief.p> <p class="poetry">It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her childrenp> <p class="poetry">and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>