THEINC-HIM DAILY BIBLE MEDITATION: December 29

Genesis 1:1 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

DECEMBER 29

PSALMS: 29, 59, 89, 119, 149

PROVERBS: 29

OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 30:1 - 31:54

NEW TESTAMENT: LUKE 4:1 - 30

PSALMS: 29

A psalm of David.

¹Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

²Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

worship the LORD in the splendor of his ^A holiness.

³The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

⁴The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

Sirion ^B like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the LORD strikes

with flashes of lightning.

⁸The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;

the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of the LORD twists the oaks ^C

and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

¹⁰The LORD sits ^D enthroned over the flood;

the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

¹¹The LORD gives strength to his people;

the LORD blesses his people with peace. ^{^[1]}

PSALMS: 59

For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. ^A When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;

protect me from those who rise up against me.

²Deliver me from evildoers

and save me from bloodthirsty men.

³See how they lie in wait for me!

Fierce men conspire against me

for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.

⁴I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.

Arise to help me; look on my plight!

⁵O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel,

rouse yourself to punish all the nations;

show no mercy to wicked traitors.

Selah

⁶They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

⁷See what they spew from their mouths--

they spew out swords from their lips,

and they say, "Who can hear us?"

⁸But you, O LORD, laugh at them;

you scoff at all those nations.

⁹O my Strength, I watch for you;

you, O God, are my fortress, ¹⁰my loving God. ^{^[2]}

God will go before me

and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

¹¹But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, ^B

or my people will forget.

In your might make them wander about,

and bring them down.

¹²For the sins of their mouths,

for the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride.

For the curses and lies they utter,

¹³consume them in wrath,

consume them till they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob. Selah

¹⁴They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

¹⁵They wander about for food

and howl if not satisfied.

¹⁶But I will sing of your strength,

in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.

¹⁷O my Strength, I sing praise to you;

you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. ^{^[3]}

PSALMS: 89

A maskil ^A of Ethan the Ezrahite.

¹I will sing of the LORD's great love forever;

with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

²I will declare that your love stands firm forever,

that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

³You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant,

⁴`I will establish your line forever

and make your throne firm through all generations.'"

Selah

⁵The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,

your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

⁶For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?

Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?

⁷In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;

he is more awesome than all who surround him.

⁸O LORD God Almighty, who is like you?

You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

⁹You rule over the surging sea;

when its waves mount up, you still them.

¹⁰You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;

with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

¹¹The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;

you founded the world and all that is in it.

¹²You created the north and the south;

Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.

¹³Your arm is endued with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. ^{^[4]}

¹⁴Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

love and faithfulness go before you.

¹⁵Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,

who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

¹⁶They rejoice in your name all day long;

they exult in your righteousness.

¹⁷For you are their glory and strength,

and by your favor you exalt our horn.^B

¹⁸Indeed, our shield^C belongs to the LORD,

our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹Once you spoke in a vision,

to your faithful people you said:

"I have bestowed strength on a warrior;

I have exalted a young man from among the people.

²⁰I have found David my servant;

with my sacred oil I have anointed him.

²¹My hand will sustain him;

surely my arm will strengthen him.

²²No enemy will subject him to tribute;

no wicked man will oppress him.

²³I will crush his foes before him

and strike down his adversaries.

²⁴My faithful love will be with him,

and through my name his horn^D will be exalted.

²⁵I will set his hand over the sea,

his right hand over the rivers.

²⁶He will call out to me, `You are my Father,

my God, the Rock my Savior.'

²⁷I will also appoint him my firstborn,

the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

²⁸I will maintain my love to him forever,

and my covenant with him will never fail.

²⁹I will establish his line forever, ^{^[5]}

his throne as long as the heavens endure.

³⁰"If his sons forsake my law

and do not follow my statutes,

³¹if they violate my decrees

and fail to keep my commands,

³²I will punish their sin with the rod,

their iniquity with flogging;

³³but I will not take my love from him,

nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

³⁴I will not violate my covenant

or alter what my lips have uttered.

³⁵Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness--

and I will not lie to David--

³⁶that his line will continue forever

and his throne endure before me like the sun;

³⁷it will be established forever like the moon,

the faithful witness in the sky."

Selah

³⁸But you have rejected, you have spurned,

you have been very angry with your anointed one.

³⁹You have renounced the covenant with your servant

and have defiled his crown in the dust.

⁴⁰You have broken through all his walls

and reduced his strongholds to ruins.

⁴¹All who pass by have plundered him;

he has become the scorn of his neighbors.

⁴²You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

⁴³You have turned back the edge of his sword

and have not supported him in battle. ^{^[6]}

⁴⁴You have put an end to his splendor

and cast his throne to the ground.

⁴⁵You have cut short the days of his youth;

you have covered him with a mantle of shame.

Selah

⁴⁶How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?

How long will your wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁷Remember how fleeting is my life.

For what futility you have created all men!

⁴⁸What man can live and not see death,

or save himself from the power of the grave ^E?

Selah

⁴⁹O Lord, where is your former great love,

which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

⁵⁰Remember, Lord, how your servant has^F been mocked,

how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,

⁵¹the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD,

with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

⁵²Praise be to the LORD forever!

Amen and Amen. ^{^[7]}

PSALMS: 119

Aleph

¹Blessed ^A are they whose ways are blameless,

who walk according to the law of the LORD.

²Blessed are they who keep his statutes

and seek him with all their heart.

³They do nothing wrong;

they walk in his ways.

⁴You have laid down precepts

that are to be fully obeyed.

⁵Oh, that my ways were steadfast

in obeying your decrees!

⁶Then I would not be put to shame

when I consider all your commands.

⁷I will praise you with an upright heart

as I learn your righteous laws.

⁸I will obey your decrees;

do not utterly forsake me.

Beth

⁹How can a young man keep his way pure?

By living according to your word.

¹⁰I seek you with all my heart;

do not let me stray from your commands.

¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

¹²Praise be to you, O LORD;

teach me your decrees.

¹³With my lips I recount

all the laws that come from your mouth.

¹⁴I rejoice in following your statutes ^{^[8]}

as one rejoices in great riches.

¹⁵I meditate on your precepts

and consider your ways.

¹⁶I delight in your decrees;

I will not neglect your word.

Gimel

¹⁷Do good to your servant, and I will live;

I will obey your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes that I may see

wonderful things in your law.

¹⁹I am a stranger on earth;

do not hide your commands from me.

²⁰My soul is consumed with longing

for your laws at all times.

²¹You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed

and who stray from your commands.

²²Remove from me scorn and contempt,

for I keep your statutes.

²³Though rulers sit together and slander me,

your servant will meditate on your decrees.

²⁴Your statutes are my delight;

they are my counselors.

Daleth

²⁵I am laid low in the dust;

preserve my life according to your word.

²⁶I recounted my ways and you answered me;

teach me your decrees.

²⁷Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;

then I will meditate on your wonders.

²⁸My soul is weary with sorrow; ^{^[9]}

strengthen me according to your word.

²⁹Keep me from deceitful ways;

be gracious to me through your law.

³⁰I have chosen the way of truth;

I have set my heart on your laws.

³¹I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;

do not let me be put to shame.

³²I run in the path of your commands,

for you have set my heart free.

³³Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;

then I will keep them to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, and I will keep your law

and obey it with all my heart.

³⁵Direct me in the path of your commands,

for there I find delight.

³⁶Turn my heart toward your statutes

and not toward selfish gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things;

preserve my life according to your word. ^B

³⁸Fulfill your promise to your servant,

so that you may be feared.

³⁹Take away the disgrace I dread,

for your laws are good.

⁴⁰How I long for your precepts!

Preserve my life in your righteousness.

Waw ^{^[10]}

⁴¹May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD,

your salvation according to your promise;

⁴²then I will answer the one who taunts me,

for I trust in your word.

⁴³Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth,

for I have put my hope in your laws.

⁴⁴I will always obey your law,

for ever and ever.

⁴⁵I will walk about in freedom,

for I have sought out your precepts.

⁴⁶I will speak of your statutes before kings

and will not be put to shame,

⁴⁷for I delight in your commands

because I love them.

⁴⁸I lift up my hands to^C your commands, which I love,

and I meditate on your decrees.

Zayin

⁴⁹Remember your word to your servant,

for you have given me hope.

⁵⁰My comfort in my suffering is this:

Your promise preserves my life.

⁵¹The arrogant mock me without restraint,

but I do not turn from your law.

⁵²I remember your ancient laws, O LORD,

and I find comfort in them.

⁵³Indignation grips me because of the wicked,

who have forsaken your law.

⁵⁴Your decrees are the theme of my song

wherever I lodge. ^{^[11]}

⁵⁵In the night I remember your name, O LORD,

and I will keep your law.

⁵⁶This has been my practice:

I obey your precepts.

Heth

⁵⁷You are my portion, O LORD;

I have promised to obey your words.

⁵⁸I have sought your face with all my heart;

be gracious to me according to your promise.

⁵⁹I have considered my ways

and have turned my steps to your statutes.

⁶⁰I will hasten and not delay

to obey your commands.

⁶¹Though the wicked bind me with ropes,

I will not forget your law.

⁶²At midnight I rise to give you thanks

for your righteous laws.

⁶³I am a friend to all who fear you,

to all who follow your precepts.

⁶⁴The earth is filled with your love, O LORD;

teach me your decrees.

Teth

⁶⁵Do good to your servant

according to your word, O LORD.

⁶⁶Teach me knowledge and good judgment,

for I believe in your commands.

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I obey your word.

⁶⁸You are good, and what you do is good;

teach me your decrees.

⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, ^{^[12]}

I keep your precepts with all my heart.

⁷⁰Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,

but I delight in your law.

⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted

so that I might learn your decrees.

⁷²The law from your mouth is more precious to me

than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Yodh

⁷³Your hands made me and formed me;

give me understanding to learn your commands.

⁷⁴May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,

for I have put my hope in your word.

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous,

and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

⁷⁶May your unfailing love be my comfort,

according to your promise to your servant.

⁷⁷Let your compassion come to me that I may live,

for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;

but I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹May those who fear you turn to me,

those who understand your statutes.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless toward your decrees,

that I may not be put to shame.

Kaph

⁸¹My soul faints with longing for your salvation,

but I have put my hope in your word.

⁸²My eyes fail, looking for your promise;

I say, "When will you comfort me?" ^{^[13]}

⁸³Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,

I do not forget your decrees.

⁸⁴How long must your servant wait?

When will you punish my persecutors?

⁸⁵The arrogant dig pitfalls for me,

contrary to your law.

⁸⁶All your commands are trustworthy;

help me, for men persecute me without cause.

⁸⁷They almost wiped me from the earth,

but I have not forsaken your precepts.

⁸⁸Preserve my life according to your love,

and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

Lamedh

⁸⁹Your word, O LORD, is eternal;

it stands firm in the heavens.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness continues through all generations;

you established the earth, and it endures.

⁹¹Your laws endure to this day,

for all things serve you.

⁹²If your law had not been my delight,

I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³I will never forget your precepts,

for by them you have preserved my life.

⁹⁴Save me, for I am yours;

I have sought out your precepts.

⁹⁵The wicked are waiting to destroy me,

but I will ponder your statutes.

⁹⁶To all perfection I see a limit;

but your commands are boundless. ^{^[14]}

Mem

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your law!

I meditate on it all day long.

⁹⁸Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,

for they are ever with me.

⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your statutes.

¹⁰⁰I have more understanding than the elders,

for I obey your precepts.

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path

so that I might obey your word.

¹⁰²I have not departed from your laws,

for you yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from your precepts;

therefore I hate every wrong path.

Nun

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path.

¹⁰⁶I have taken an oath and confirmed it,

that I will follow your righteous laws.

¹⁰⁷I have suffered much;

preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

¹⁰⁸Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,

and teach me your laws.

¹⁰⁹Though I constantly take my life in my hands,

I will not forget your law.

¹¹⁰The wicked have set a snare for me,

but I have not strayed from your precepts. ^{^[15]}

¹¹¹Your statutes are my heritage forever;

they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²My heart is set on keeping your decrees

to the very end.

Samekh

¹¹³I hate double-minded men,

but I love your law.

¹¹⁴You are my refuge and my shield;

I have put my hope in your word.

¹¹⁵Away from me, you evildoers,

that I may keep the commands of my God!

¹¹⁶Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live;

do not let my hopes be dashed.

¹¹⁷Uphold me, and I will be delivered;

I will always have regard for your decrees.

¹¹⁸You reject all who stray from your decrees,

for their deceitfulness is in vain.

¹¹⁹All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross;

therefore I love your statutes.

¹²⁰My flesh trembles in fear of you;

I stand in awe of your laws.

Ayin

¹²¹I have done what is righteous and just;

do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Ensure your servant's well-being;

let not the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³My eyes fail, looking for your salvation,

looking for your righteous promise.

¹²⁴Deal with your servant according to your love

and teach me your decrees. ^{^[16]}

¹²⁵I am your servant; give me discernment

that I may understand your statutes.

¹²⁶It is time for you to act, O LORD;

your law is being broken.

¹²⁷Because I love your commands

more than gold, more than pure gold,

¹²⁸and because I consider all your precepts right,

I hate every wrong path.

¹²⁹Your statutes are wonderful;

therefore I obey them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light;

it gives understanding to the simple.

¹³¹I open my mouth and pant,

longing for your commands.

¹³²Turn to me and have mercy on me,

as you always do to those who love your name.

¹³³Direct my footsteps according to your word;

let no sin rule over me.

¹³⁴Redeem me from the oppression of men,

that I may obey your precepts.

¹³⁵Make your face shine upon your servant

and teach me your decrees.

¹³⁶Streams of tears flow from my eyes,

for your law is not obeyed.

Tsadhe

¹³⁷Righteous are you, O LORD,

and your laws are right.

¹³⁸The statutes you have laid down are righteous;

they are fully trustworthy. ^{^[17]}

¹³⁹My zeal wears me out,

for my enemies ignore your words.

¹⁴⁰Your promises have been thoroughly tested,

and your servant loves them.

¹⁴¹Though I am lowly and despised,

I do not forget your precepts.

¹⁴²Your righteousness is everlasting

and your law is true.

¹⁴³Trouble and distress have come upon me,

but your commands are my delight.

¹⁴⁴Your statutes are forever right;

give me understanding that I may live.

Qoph

¹⁴⁵I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD,

and I will obey your decrees.

¹⁴⁶I call out to you; save me

and I will keep your statutes.

¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I have put my hope in your word.

¹⁴⁸My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,

that I may meditate on your promises.

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice in accordance with your love;

preserve my life, O LORD, according to your laws.

¹⁵⁰Those who devise wicked schemes are near,

but they are far from your law.

¹⁵¹Yet you are near, O LORD,

and all your commands are true.

¹⁵²Long ago I learned from your statutes

that you established them to last forever. ^{^[18]}

Resh

¹⁵³Look upon my suffering and deliver me,

for I have not forgotten your law.

¹⁵⁴Defend my cause and redeem me;

preserve my life according to your promise.

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not seek out your decrees.

¹⁵⁶Your compassion is great, O LORD;

preserve my life according to your laws.

¹⁵⁷Many are the foes who persecute me,

but I have not turned from your statutes.

¹⁵⁸I look on the faithless with loathing,

for they do not obey your word.

¹⁵⁹See how I love your precepts;

preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.

¹⁶⁰All your words are true;

all your righteous laws are eternal.

Sin and Shin

¹⁶¹Rulers persecute me without cause,

but my heart trembles at your word.

¹⁶²I rejoice in your promise

like one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood

but I love your law.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you

for your righteous laws.

¹⁶⁵Great peace have they who love your law,

and nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶I wait for your salvation, O LORD,

and I follow your commands.

¹⁶⁷I obey your statutes, ^{^[19]}

for I love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸I obey your precepts and your statutes,

for all my ways are known to you.

Taw

¹⁶⁹May my cry come before you, O LORD;

give me understanding according to your word.

¹⁷⁰May my supplication come before you;

deliver me according to your promise.

¹⁷¹May my lips overflow with praise,

for you teach me your decrees.

¹⁷²May my tongue sing of your word,

for all your commands are righteous.

¹⁷³May your hand be ready to help me,

for I have chosen your precepts.

¹⁷⁴I long for your salvation, O LORD,

and your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵Let me live that I may praise you,

and may your laws sustain me.

¹⁷⁶I have strayed like a lost sheep.

Seek your servant,

for I have not forgotten your commands. ^{^[20]}

PSALMS: 149

¹Praise the LORD. ^A

Sing to the LORD a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the saints.

²Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;

let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

³Let them praise his name with dancing

and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

⁴For the LORD takes delight in his people;

he crowns the humble with salvation.

⁵Let the saints rejoice in this honor

and sing for joy on their beds.

⁶May the praise of God be in their mouths

and a double-edged sword in their hands,

⁷to inflict vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

⁸to bind their kings with fetters,

their nobles with shackles of iron,

⁹to carry out the sentence written against them.

This is the glory of all his saints.

Praise the LORD. ^{^[21]}

PROVERBS: 29

29 ¹ A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes

will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy.

²When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;

when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,

but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

⁴By justice a king gives a country stability,

but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.

⁵Whoever flatters his neighbor

is spreading a net for his feet.

⁶An evil man is snared by his own sin,

but a righteous one can sing and be glad.

⁷The righteous care about justice for the poor,

but the wicked have no such concern.

⁸Mockers stir up a city,

but wise men turn away anger.

⁹If a wise man goes to court with a fool,

the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

¹⁰Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity

and seek to kill the upright. ^{^[22]}

¹¹A fool gives full vent to his anger,

but a wise man keeps himself under control.

¹²If a ruler listens to lies,

all his officials become wicked.

¹³The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:

The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

¹⁴If a king judges the poor with fairness,

his throne will always be secure.

¹⁵The rod of correction imparts wisdom,

but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

¹⁶When the wicked thrive, so does sin,

but the righteous will see their downfall.

¹⁷Discipline your son, and he will give you peace;

he will bring delight to your soul.

¹⁸Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;

but blessed is he who keeps the law.

¹⁹A servant cannot be corrected by mere words;

though he understands, he will not respond.

²⁰Do you see a man who speaks in haste?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

²¹If a man pampers his servant from youth,

he will bring grief ^A in the end. ^{^[23]}

²²An angry man stirs up dissension,

and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

²³A man's pride brings him low,

but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

²⁴The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy;

he is put under oath and dare not testify.

²⁵Fear of man will prove to be a snare,

but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

²⁶Many seek an audience with a ruler,

but it is from the LORD that man gets justice.

²⁷The righteous detest the dishonest;

the wicked detest the upright. ^{^[24]}

OLD TESTAMENT: NUMBERS 30:1 - 31:54

30 ¹Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: ² When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

³ "When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge ⁴ and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁵But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.

⁶ If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself

⁷ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁸ But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the LORD will release her.

⁹"Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

¹⁰ "If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath ¹¹ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand.

¹² But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will release her. ¹³ Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. ¹⁴ But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. ¹⁵ If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he is responsible for her guilt."

¹⁶These are the regulations the LORD gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living in his house.

31 ¹The LORD said to Moses, ²"Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people."

³So Moses said to the people, "Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the LORD's vengeance on them. ⁴ Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel." ⁵ So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. ⁶ Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.

⁷ They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man.

⁸ Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba--the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Israelites captured the Midianite women and ^{^[25]} children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. ¹⁰They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. ¹¹ They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, ¹² and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.^A

¹³ Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.

¹⁴ Moses was angry with the officers of the army--the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds--who returned from the battle.

¹⁵"Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them. ¹⁶ "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people. ¹⁷Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man,

¹⁸ but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

¹⁹ "All of you who have killed anyone or touched anyone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives. ²⁰ Purify every garment as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood."

²¹Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, "This is the requirement of the law that the LORD gave Moses: ²²Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead ²³and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. ²⁴On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp."

²⁵The LORD said to Moses, ²⁶"You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. ²⁷ Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community.

²⁸ From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the LORD one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats. ²⁹Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part. ³⁰From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle." ³¹So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

³²The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep,

³³72,000 cattle, ³⁴61,000 donkeys ³⁵and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

³⁶The half share of those who fought in the battle was:

337,500 sheep, ³⁷of which the tribute for the LORD was 675; ^{^[26]}

³⁸36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the LORD was 72;

³⁹30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the LORD was 61;

⁴⁰16,000 people, of which the tribute for the LORD was 32.

⁴¹Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part, as the LORD commanded Moses.

⁴²The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men—⁴³the community's half--was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵30,500 donkeys ⁴⁶and 16,000 people. ⁴⁷From the Israelites' half, Moses selected one out of every fifty persons and animals, as the LORD commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle.

⁴⁸Then the officers who were over the units of the army--the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds--went to Moses ⁴⁹and said to him, "Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. ⁵⁰So we have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired--armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces--to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD."

⁵¹Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold--all the crafted articles.

⁵²All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the LORD weighed 16,750 shekels. ^B ⁵³Each soldier had taken plunder for himself.

⁵⁴Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.^{^[27]}

NEW TESTAMENT: LUKE 4:1 - 30

4 ¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

³The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

⁴Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone.' ^A"

⁵The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

⁸Jesus answered, "It is written: `Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' ^B"

⁹The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰For it is written:

"`He will command his angels concerning you

to guard you carefully;

¹¹they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' ^C"

¹²Jesus answered, "It says: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' ^D"

¹³When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

¹⁴Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. ¹⁵He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

¹⁶He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. ¹⁷The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind, ^{^[28]}

to release the oppressed,

¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." ^E

²⁰Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, ²¹and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

²²All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.

²³Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: `Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "

²⁴"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. ²⁵I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. ²⁶ Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. ²⁷ And there were many in Israel with leprosy ^F in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed--only Naaman the Syrian."

²⁸All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. ²⁹They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. ³⁰But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. ^{^[29]}

John 3:16-21 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, F that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.G 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." H

Sunday, January 8, 2012

December 29

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John 3:16-21