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Daily Readings for June 11
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Judges 9
1.Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, 2."Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, 'Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."
3.His mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, "He is our brother." 4.They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him. 5.He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6.All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7.When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, "Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8.The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'
9."But the olive tree said to them, 'Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'
10."The trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and reign over us.'
11."But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'
12."The trees said to the vine, 'Come and reign over us.'
13."The vine said to them, 'Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?'
14."Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come and reign over us.'
15."The bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'
16."Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands 17.(for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18.and you have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother); 19.if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20.but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech."
21.Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22.Abimelech was prince over Israel three years. 23.God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24.that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25.The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech. 26.Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. 27.They went out into the field, and harvested their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. 28.Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: but why should we serve him? 29.Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech." He said to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out!"
30.When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31.He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and behold, they incite the city against you. 32.Now therefore, go up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field: 33.and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early, and rush on the city; and behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion."
34.Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 35.Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.
36.When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, "Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains."
Zebul said to him, "You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men."
37.Gaal spoke again and said, "Behold, people are coming down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim."
38.Then Zebul said to him, "Now where is your mouth, that you said, 'Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Isn't this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them."
39.Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. 40.Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate. 41.Abimelech lived at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42.It happened on the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43.He took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city; He rose up against them, and struck them. 44.Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field, and struck them. 45.Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and killed the people who were therein: and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
46.When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith. 47.It was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48.Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!" 49.All the people likewise each cut down his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire on them; so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. 50.Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51.But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower. 52.Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53.A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and broke his skull.
54.Then he called hastily to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, 'A woman killed him.' His young man thrust him through, and he died."
55.When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place. 56.Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers; 57.and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Isaiah 35
1.The wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose. 2.It will blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. Lebanon's glory Lebanon will be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They will see Yahweh's glory, the excellence of our God. 3.Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4.Tell those who have a fearful heart, "Be strong. Don't be afraid. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God's retribution. He will come and save you. 5.Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6.Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. 7.The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay. 8.A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called The Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools will not go there. 9.No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there. 10.The Yahweh's ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."
1Peter 1
1.Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2.according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 3.Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4.to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn't fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, 5.who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6.Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, 7.that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ-- 8.whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory-- 9.receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10.Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11.searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them. 12.To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
13.Therefore, prepare your minds for action,1 be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ-- 14.as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 15.but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 16.because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."2 17.If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man's work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 18.knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19.but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; 20.who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, 21.who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
22.Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently: 23.having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever. 24.For, "All flesh is like grass, and all of man's glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls; 25.but the Lord's word endures forever."3
This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.