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Daily Readings for September 2
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2Kings 7
1.Elisha said, "Hear the word of Yahweh. Thus says Yahweh, 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'"
2.Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, "Behold, if Yahweh made windows in heaven, could this thing be?"
He said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it."
3.Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said one to another, "Why do we sit here until we die? 4.If we say, 'We will enter into the city,' then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. If we sit still here, we also die. Now therefore come, and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die."
5.They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians. When they had come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there. 6.For the Lord3 had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army: and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come on us. 7.Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. 8.When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and hid it. Then they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried there also, and went and hid it. 9.Then they said one to another, "We aren't doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household."
10.So they came and called to the porter of the city; and they told them, saying, "We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were."
11.He called the porters; and they told it to the king's household within. 12.The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, "I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.'"
13.One of his servants answered, "Please let some take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel who are consumed. Let us send and see."
14.They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the army of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see."
15.They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king. 16.The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh. 17.The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18.It happened, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria;" 19.and that captain answered the man of God, and said, "Now, behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?" and he said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it." 20.It happened like that to him; for the people trod on him in the gate, and he died.
Lamentations 3
1.I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2.He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light. 3.Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all the day. 4.My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones. 5.He has built against me, and surrounded me with gall and travail. 6.He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. 7.He has walled me about, that I can't go forth; he has made my chain heavy. 8.Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer. 9.He has walled up my ways with cut stone; he has made my paths crooked. 10.He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. 11.He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he has made me desolate. 12.He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. 13.He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys. 14.I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day. 15.He has filled me with bitterness, he has sated me with wormwood. 16.He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he has covered me with ashes. 17.You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity. 18.I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Yahweh. 19.Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20.My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me. 21.This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope. 22.[It is of] Yahweh's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn't fail. 23.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24.Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25.Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. 26.It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh. 27.It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28.Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him. 29.Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. 30.Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled full with reproach. 31.For the Lord will not cast off forever. 32.For though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. 33.For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. 34.To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth, 35.To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High, 36.To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn't approve. 37.Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn't command it? 38.Doesn't evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High? 39.Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40.Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh. 41.Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God3 in the heavens. 42.We have transgressed and have rebelled; you have not pardoned. 43.You have covered with anger and pursued us; you have killed, you have not pitied. 44.You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through. 45.You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples. 46.All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us. 47.Fear and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction. 48.My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49.My eye pours down, and doesn't cease, without any intermission, 50.Until Yahweh look down, and see from heaven. 51.My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city. 52.They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause. 53.They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me. 54.Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
55.I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon. 56.You heard my voice; don't hide your ear at my breathing, at my cry. 57.You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said, Don't be afraid. 58.Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life. 59.Yahweh, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause. 60.You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me. 61.You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their devices against me, 62.The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. 63.You see their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song. 64.You will render to them a recompense, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands. 65.You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them. 66.You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.
1Corinthians 16
1.Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise. 2.On the first day of the week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. 3.When I arrive, I will send whoever you approve with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem. 4.If it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me. 5.But I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia, for I am passing through Macedonia. 6.But with you it may be that I will stay, or even winter, that you may send me on my journey wherever I go. 7.For I do not wish to see you now in passing, but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. 8.But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9.for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10.Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. 11.Therefore let no one despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brothers.
12.Now concerning Apollos, the brother, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers; and it was not at all his desire to come now; but he will come when he has an opportunity.
13.Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong! 14.Let all that you do be done in love.
15.Now I beg you, brothers (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints), 16.that you also be in subjection to such, and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 17.I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part, they supplied. 18.For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge those who are like that.
19.The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house. 20.All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21.This greeting is by me, Paul, with my own hand. 22.If any man doesn't love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed24. Come, Lord!25 23.The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24.My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.