Today's Reading

¹Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.

²He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done: however he did not enter into the Lord's temple. The people still did corruptly.

³He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

⁴Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.

⁵He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The children of Ammon gave that much to him in the second year also, and in the third.

⁶So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.

⁷Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

⁸He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

⁹Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

¹Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he did not do that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, like David his father;

²but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for the Baals.

³Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

⁴He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

⁵Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away of his a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter.

⁶For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers.

⁷Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king.

⁸The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

⁹But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, "Behold, because the Lord, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven.

¹⁰Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren't there even with you trespasses of your own against the Lord your God?

¹¹Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of the Lord is on you."

¹²Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war,

¹³and said to them, "You shall not bring in the captives here: for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against the Lord, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel."

¹⁴So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly.

¹⁵The men who have been mentioned by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.

¹⁶At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him.

¹⁷For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives.

¹⁸The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the Negev of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gederoth, and Soco with its towns, and Timnah with its towns, Gimzo also and its towns: and they lived there.

¹⁹For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against the Lord.

²⁰Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him, and distressed him, but did not strengthen him.

²¹For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria: but it did not help him.

²²In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against the Lord, this same king Ahaz.

²³For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and he said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

²⁴Ahaz gathered together the vessels of God's house, and cut in pieces the vessels of God's house, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.

²⁵In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord, the God of his fathers.

²⁶Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

²⁷Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

¹Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

²He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.

³He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them.

⁴He brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east,

⁵and said to them, "Listen to me, you Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filthiness out of the holy place.

⁶For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs.

⁷Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.

⁸Therefore the wrath of the Lord was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment, and a hissing, as you see with your eyes.

⁹For, behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

¹⁰Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.

¹¹My sons, do not be negligent now; for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his ministers, and burn incense."

¹²Then the Levites arose, Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah;

¹³and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;

¹⁴and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

¹⁵They gathered their brothers, and sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord.

¹⁶The priests went in to the inner part of the house of the Lord, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the Lord's temple into the court of the house of the Lord. The Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.

¹⁷Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the Lord; and they sanctified the house of the Lord in eight days: and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

¹⁸Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace, and said, "We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and the table of show bread, with all its vessels.

¹⁹Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign threw away when he trespassed, have we prepared and sanctified; and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord."

²⁰Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.

²¹They brought seven bulls, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord.

²²So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: and they killed the rams, and sprinkled the blood on the altar: they killed also the lambs, and sprinkled the blood on the altar.

²³They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them:

²⁴and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

²⁵He set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was of the Lord by his prophets.

²⁶The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

²⁷Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel.

²⁸All the assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

²⁹When they had made an end of offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped.

³⁰Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

³¹Then Hezekiah answered, "Now you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord; come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord." The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

³²The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord.

³³The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep.

³⁴But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: therefore their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

³⁵Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order.

³⁶Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

¹Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

²Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

³For even Christ did not please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."

⁴For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

⁵Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus,

⁶that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

⁸Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

⁹and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."

¹⁰Again he says, "Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."

¹¹Again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him."

¹²Again, Isaiah says, "There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope."

¹³Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁴I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

¹⁵But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,

¹⁶that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

¹⁸For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

¹⁹in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

²⁰yes, making it my aim to proclaim the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another's foundation.

²¹But, as it is written, "They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who have not heard will understand."

²²Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

²³but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,

²⁴whenever I journey to Spain. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

²⁵But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

²⁶For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

²⁷Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things.

²⁸When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

²⁹I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Christ.

³⁰Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

³¹that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

³²that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

³³Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

¹ Lord, remember David and all his affliction,

²how he swore to the Lord, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

³"Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed;

⁴I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids;

⁵until I find out a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

⁶Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar:

⁷"We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.

⁸Arise, Lord, into your resting place; you, and the ark of your strength.

⁹Let your priest be clothed with righteousness. Let your holy ones shout for joy!"

¹⁰For your servant David's sake, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

¹¹The Lord has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: "I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

¹²If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forevermore."

¹³For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.

¹⁴"This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it.

¹⁵I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

¹⁶Her priests I will also clothe with salvation. Her holy ones will shout aloud for joy.

¹⁷There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be resplendent."

¹Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?

²On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

⁴"To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

⁵You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

⁷For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

¹²"I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

¹⁴Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

¹⁸With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;

²¹That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

²²"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;

²⁶while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

²⁸when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

²⁹when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

³⁰then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

³¹Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

³²"Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise. Do not refuse it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

³⁵For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the Lord.

³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."