Daily Readings for July 2
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1Samuel 14

 

1.Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side." But he didn't tell his father. 2.Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; 3.and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn't know that Jonathan was gone. 4.Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5.The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6.Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few." 7.His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I am with you according to your heart." 8.Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. 9.If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you!' then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. 10.But if they say this, 'Come up to us!' then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us."

11.Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!" 12.The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something!"

Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel." 13.Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14.That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land. 15.There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling. 16.The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and scattered. 17.Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now, and see who is missing from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

18.Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God was with the children of Israel at that time. 19.It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand!"

20.Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow: a very great confusion. 21.Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them into the camp, from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22.Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23.So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

24.The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.

25.All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26.When the people had come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27.But Jonathan didn't hear when his father commanded the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28.Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food this day.'" The people were faint. 29.Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30.How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines." 31.They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint; 32.and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33.Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh, in that they eat meat with the blood."

He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me this day!" 34.Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, 'Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against Yahweh in eating meat with the blood.'" All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

35.Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh. 36.Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them."

They said, "Do whatever seems good to you."

Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to God."

37.Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he didn't answer him that day. 38.Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day. 39.For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40.Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side."

The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."

41.Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Show the right."

Jonathan and Saul were chosen; but the people escaped.

42.Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son."

Jonathan was selected.

43.Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done!"

Jonathan told him, and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die."

44.Saul said, "God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan."

45.The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day!" So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn't die.

46.Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place. 47.Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he defeated them. 48.He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them. 49.Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50.and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51.Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52.There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

 

Isaiah 58

 

1."Cry aloud, don't spare, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. 2.Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. 3.'Why have we fasted,' say they, 'and you don't see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge?'

"Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors. 4.Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness: you don't fast this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high. 5.Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh?

6."Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? 7.Isn't it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8.Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh shall be your rear guard. 9.Then you shall call, and Yahweh will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'

"If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly; 10.and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light shall rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday; 11.and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don't fail. 12.Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13."If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of Yahweh honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words: 14.then you shall delight yourself in Yahweh; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father:" for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.

 

Matthew 1

 

1.The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ¹, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2.Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. 3.Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. 4.Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. 5.Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. 6.Jesse became the father of King David. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. 7.Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. 8.Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. 9.Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. 10.Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. 11.Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12.After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. 13.Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. 14.Azor became the father of Sadoc. Sadoc became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. 15.Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. 16.Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus², who is called Christ. 17.So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

18.Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19.Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20.But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21.She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."

22.Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23."Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;" which is, being interpreted, "God with us."³

24.Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25.and didn't know her sexually until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

 

Matthew 2

 

1.Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men⁴ from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2."Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him." 3.When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4.Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5.They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, 6.'You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come forth a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.'"⁵

7.Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8.He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him."

9.They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10.When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11.They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12.Being warned in a dream that they shouldn't return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

13.Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."

14.He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15.and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."⁶

16.Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17.Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, 18."A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn't be comforted, because they are no more."⁷

19.But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20."Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead."

21.He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22.But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23.and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

 

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