Baramhat 13, 1740

1"Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers.

2And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

3So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

4Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.

5You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.

6"Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.

7For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills;

8a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey;

9a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.

10When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.

11"Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,

12lest--when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;

13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;

14when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

15who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;

16who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end--

17then you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.'

18"And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

19Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.

20As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

1"Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,

2a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, "Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?'

3Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you.

4"Do not think in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out before you, saying, "Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land'; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you.

16And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.

17Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp.

18And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them."

19Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.

21For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.

22And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.

23Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them.

24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.

25So the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel."

26Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

27And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him."

28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."

29And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"

30Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

31Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him.

32Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

33And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."

34But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,

35I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.

36Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

37Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

38So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail.

39David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off.

40Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.

41So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him.

42And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking.

43So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

45Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands."

48So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

51Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

52Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron.

53Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents.

54And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

6Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.

7So the women sang as they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands."

8Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?"

9So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2And it was told to the house of David, saying, "Syria's forces are deployed in Ephraim." So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.

3Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field,

4and say to him: "Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.

5Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying,

6"Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel"--

7thus says the Lord GOD: "It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass.

8For the head of Syria is Damascus, And the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken, So that it will not be a people.

9The head of Ephraim is Samaria, And the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established.""'

10Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,

11"Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above."

12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!"

13Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?

14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

2"Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated?

3Should your empty talk make men hold their peace? And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?

4For you have said, "My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in your eyes.'

5But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips against you,

6That He would show you the secrets of wisdom! For they would double your prudence. Know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your iniquity deserves.

7"Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?

8They are higher than heaven-- what can you do? Deeper than Sheol-- what can you know?

9Their measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.

10"If He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment, Then who can hinder Him?

11For He knows deceitful men; He sees wickedness also. Will He not then consider it?

12For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey's colt is born a man.

13"If you would prepare your heart, And stretch out your hands toward Him;

14If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away, And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;

15Then surely you could lift up your face without spot; Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;

16Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that have passed away,

17And your life would be brighter than noonday. Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.

18And you would be secure, because there is hope; Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.

19You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid; Yes, many would court your favor.

20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And they shall not escape, And their hope--loss of life!"

7Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

8For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling.

39And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.

1Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.

2He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, "It will be fair weather, for the sky is red';

3and in the morning, "It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

4A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.

5Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."

7And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."

8But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?

9Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?

10Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?

11How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?--but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

12Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

29For our God is a consuming fire.

1Let brotherly love continue.

2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

3Remember the prisoners as if chained with them--those who are mistreated--since you yourselves are in the body also.

4Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

6So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

7Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

10We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

14For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

15Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

7But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."

9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

12Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

13but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

14If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

15But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.

16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.