Exodus 4
19Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead."
20Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.""'
24And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.
25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses' feet, and said, "Surely you are a husband of blood to me!"
26So He let him go. Then she said, "You are a husband of blood!"--because of the circumcision.
27And the LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.
28So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.
29Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.
30And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people.
31So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Exodus 5
1Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness."'
2And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go."
3So they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword."
4Then the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor."
5And Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!"
6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
7"You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, "Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
9Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words."
10And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, "Thus says Pharaoh: "I will not give you straw.
11Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced."'
12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, "Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw."
14Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, "Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?"
15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why are you dealing thus with your servants?
16There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, "Make brick!' And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people."
17But he said, "You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, "Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'
18Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks."
19And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, "You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota."
20Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them.
21And they said to them, "Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."
22So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?
23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all."
Exodus 6
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land."
2And God spoke to Moses and said to him: "I am the LORD.
3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them.
4I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.
5And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.
6Therefore say to the children of Israel: "I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
7I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD."'
9So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.
10And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
11"Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land."
12And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, "The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?"
13Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
Joel 2
21Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things!
22Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
23Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-- The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.
24The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
25"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.
26You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.
Isaiah 9
9All the people will know-- Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria-- Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
10"The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars."
11Therefore the LORD shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on,
12The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
13For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.
14Therefore the LORD will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush in one day.
15The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
16For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.
17Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows; For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, And every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
18For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns, And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke.
19Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts The land is burned up, And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.
20And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.
21Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
Isaiah 10
1"Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed
2To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless.
3What will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory?
4Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, And they shall fall among the slain." For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
Job 12
1Then Job answered and said:
2"No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!
3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
4"I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip.
6The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure-- In what God provides by His hand.
7"But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this,
10In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
11Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?
12Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.
13"With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.
14If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.
18He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.
19He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.
20He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.
22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.
23He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.
24He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Job 13
1"Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.
2What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
3But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with God.
4But you forgers of lies, You are all worthless physicians.
5Oh, that you would be silent, And it would be your wisdom!
6Now hear my reasoning, And heed the pleadings of my lips.
7Will you speak wickedly for God, And talk deceitfully for Him?
8Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?
9Will it be well when He searches you out? Or can you mock Him as one mocks a man?
10He will surely rebuke you If you secretly show partiality.
11Will not His excellence make you afraid, And the dread of Him fall upon you?
12Your platitudes are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.
13"Hold your peace with me, and let me speak, Then let come on me what may!
14Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands?
15Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
16He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
17Listen carefully to my speech, And to my declaration with your ears.
18See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated.
19Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish.
20"Only two things do not do to me, Then I will not hide myself from You:
21Withdraw Your hand far from me, And let not the dread of You make me afraid.
22Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me.
23How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.
24Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?
25Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble?
26For You write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27You put my feet in the stocks, And watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet.
28"Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Job 14
1"Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
2He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
3And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
5Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
6Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day.
7"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.
8Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground,
9Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.
10But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he?
11As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep.
13"Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.
15You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin.
17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You cover my iniquity.
18"But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place;
19As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man.
20You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
21His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22But his flesh will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it."
Glory be to God forever. Amen.