Today's Reading

¹King Solomon was king over all Israel.

²These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest;

³Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;

⁴and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

⁵and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, the king's friend;

⁶and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.

⁷Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.

⁸These are their names: Ben Hur, in the hill country of Ephraim;

⁹Ben Deker, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan;

¹⁰Ben Hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh, and all the land of Hepher);

¹¹Ben Abinadab, in all the height of Dor (he had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as wife);

¹²Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;

¹³Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him belonged the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him belonged the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);

¹⁴Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim;

¹⁵Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife);

¹⁶Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth;

¹⁷Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar;

¹⁸Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin;

¹⁹Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land.

²⁰Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.

²¹Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

²²Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and sixty measures of meal,

²³ten head of fat cattle, and twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl.

²⁴For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides around him.

²⁵Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

²⁶Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

²⁷Those officers provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking.

²⁸Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to the place where the officers were, every man according to his duty.

²⁹God gave Solomon wisdom and exceptional insight, and very great understanding, even as the sand that is on the seashore.

³⁰Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

³¹For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations all around.

³²He spoke three thousand proverbs; and his songs were one thousand five.

³³He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish.

³⁴There came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

¹Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

²Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

³"You know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.

⁴But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.

⁵Behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, 'Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for my name.'

⁶Now therefore command that they cut me cedar trees out of Lebanon. My servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you shall say. For you know that there is not among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."

⁷It happened, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, "Blessed is the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people."

⁸Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

⁹My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them. You shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household."

¹⁰So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire.

¹¹Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.

¹²The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a treaty together.

¹³King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

¹⁴He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labor.

¹⁵Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains;

¹⁶besides Solomon's chief officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who bore rule over the people who labored in the work.

¹⁷The king commanded, and they cut out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone.

¹⁸Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.

¹It happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.

²The house which king Solomon built for the Lord, its length was sixty cubits, and its breadth twenty, and its height thirty cubits.

³The porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was its length, according to the breadth of the house. Ten cubits was its breadth before the house.

⁴For the house he made windows of fixed lattice work.

⁵Against the wall of the house he built stories all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side rooms all around.

⁶The nethermost story was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around, that the beams should not have hold in the walls of the house.

⁷The house, when it was in building, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

⁸The door for the middle side rooms was in the right side of the house: and they went up by winding stairs into the middle story, and out of the middle into the third.

⁹So he built the house, and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar.

¹⁰He built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

¹¹The word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,

¹²"Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.

¹³I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel."

¹⁴So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

¹⁵He built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of fir.

¹⁶He built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling: he built them for it within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.

¹⁷In front of the temple sanctuary was forty cubits.

¹⁸There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.

¹⁹He prepared an oracle in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

²⁰Within the oracle was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.

²¹So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.

²²The whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold.

²³In the oracle he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high.

²⁴Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing to the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.

²⁵The other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one form.

²⁶The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.

²⁷He set the cherubim within the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

²⁸He overlaid the cherubim with gold.

²⁹He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside.

³⁰The floor of the house he overlaid with gold, inside and outside.

³¹For the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive wood: the lintel and door posts were a fifth part of the wall.

³²So he made two doors of olive wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim, and on the palm trees.

³³So also made he for the entrance of the temple door posts of olive wood, out of a fourth part of the wall;

³⁴and two doors of fir wood: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

³⁵He carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold fitted on the engraved work.

³⁶He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone, and a course of cedar beams.

³⁷In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the Lord laid, in the month Ziv.

³⁸In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all its parts, and according to all its fashion. So was he seven years in building it.

¹Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

²a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.

³At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, "Cornelius!"

⁴He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.

⁵Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter.

⁶He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."

⁷When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually.

⁸Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.

¹⁰He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.

¹¹He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,

¹²in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.

¹³A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"

¹⁴But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

¹⁵A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean."

¹⁶This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

¹⁷Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,

¹⁸and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.

¹⁹While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.

²⁰But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."

²¹Peter went down to the men, and said, "Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?"

²²They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say."

²³So he called them in and lodged them. On the next day he arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.

²⁵When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.

²⁶But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! I myself am also a man."

²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

²⁸He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

²⁹Therefore also I came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?"

³⁰Cornelius said, "Four days ago until this hour, the ninth hour, I was praying in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

³¹and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God.

³²Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside.'

³³Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by the Lord."

³⁴And Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God does not show favoritism;

³⁵but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

³⁶The word which he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news of peace by Jesus Christ-he is Lord of all-

³⁷that spoken word you yourselves know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

³⁸even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

³⁹We are witnesses of everything he did both in the countryside of Judea, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree.

⁴⁰God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,

⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

⁴²He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead.

⁴³All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins."

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.

⁴⁵They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

⁴⁷"Can any man forbid the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?"

⁴⁸He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

¹The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.

²The Lord is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples.

³Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy!

⁴The King's strength also loves justice. You do establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.

⁵Exalt the Lord our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!

⁶Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel among those who call on his name; they called on the Lord, and he answered them.

⁷He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them.

⁸You answered them, Lord our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings.

⁹Exalt the Lord, our God. Worship at his holy hill, for the Lord, our God, is holy!

¹My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;

²You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

³Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

⁴Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

⁷which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

⁸provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

⁹How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

¹¹so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

¹²A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth;

¹³who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers;

¹⁴in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

¹⁵Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

¹⁶There are six things which the Lord hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood;

¹⁸a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

²⁰My son, keep your father's commandment, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

²¹Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

²²When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

²³For the commandment is a lamp, and the Law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

²⁴to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife's tongue.

²⁵Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

²⁶For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

²⁷Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

²⁹So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

³⁰Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

³¹but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

³²He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

³³He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won't spare in the day of vengeance.

³⁵He won't regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.