Monday, 20 Tevet 5784 / January 1, 2024
Day 366 Readings
Torah: 2nd Portion Shemot (Exodus) 1:18-2:10
Exodus 1:18-2:10
New American Standard Bible
18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife [a]can get to them.” 20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very [b]mighty. 21 And because the midwives [c]feared God, He [d]established [e]households for them. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born, [f]you are to throw into the Nile, but every daughter, you are to keep alive.”
The Birth of Moses
2 Now a man from the house of Levi went and [g]married a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw [h]that he was [i]beautiful, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus [j]basket and covered it with tar and pitch. Then she put the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to [k]find out what would [l]happen to him.
5 Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her female attendants walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the [m]basket among the reeds and sent her slave woman, and she brought it to her. 6 When she opened it, she [n]saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a woman for you who is nursing from the Hebrew women, so that she may nurse the child for you?” 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him [o]Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”
Bible Study Together
2 Samuel 12
New American Standard Bible
Nathan Rebukes David
12 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and [a]said,
“There were two men in a city, the one wealthy and the other poor.2 The wealthy man had a great many flocks and herds.3 But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lambWhich he bought and nurtured;And it grew up together with him and his children.It would eat [b]scraps from him and drink from his cup and lie [c]in his lap,And was like a daughter to him.4 Now a visitor came to the wealthy man,And he could not bring himself to take any animal from his own flock or his own herd,To prepare for the traveler who had come to him;So he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this certainly [d]deserves to die! 6 So he must make restitution for the lamb four times over, since he did this thing and [e]had no compassion.”
7 Nathan then said to David, “You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I also gave you your master’s house and put your master’s wives [f]into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you [g]many more things like these! 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, by doing evil in His sight? You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 This is what the Lord says: ‘Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will sleep with your wives in [h]broad daylight. 12 Indeed, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and [i]in open daylight.’” 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die. 14 However, since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the [j]Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.
Loss of a Child
Later the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s [k]widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him in order to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. 18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to [l]us. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm?” 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” 20 So David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and when he asked, they served him food, and he ate.
1 Chronicles 3:5-9
New American Standard Bible
5 These were the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, four by Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel; 6 and Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9 All of these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.
2 Samuel 5:14-16
New American Standard Bible
14 Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
365 Daily Kingdom Living
Faith For The Future
Hebrews 11 records that Joseph had asked that his bones be taken with the Israelites when they left Egypt. Joseph must have seen that God had used him to save the Israelites in the times of famine. He must have also heard many times the promises given to his forefathers about the promised land. And he had faith for the future – even though that future would be after his life time! A sure future when the Israelites will take possession of the promised land was more reward than enough. And he asks that his bones be taken with the Israelites when they leave Egypt! What about us. Jesus is coming again. The knowledge of Christ will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Let us live today with the confidence of this happening in God's time in the future.
Prayer: Lord, we thank you that you will be returning in glory. Let us live our lives today in the knowledge of your sure return. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture
Hebrews 11
New American Standard Bible
The Triumphs of Faith
1 Now faith is the certainty of things [a]hoped for, a [b]proof of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old [c]gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the [d]world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying [e]about his gifts, and through [f]faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, [g]in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed [h]by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a stranger in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself received [i]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead [j]at that, there were born descendants who were just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.
13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been [k]thinking of that country which they left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not [l]ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and the one who had received the promises was offering up his [m]only son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your [n]descendants shall be named.” 19 [o]He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back [p]as a [q]type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, 26 considering the [r]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as though seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he [s]kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were [t]drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down [u]after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies [v]in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their [w]release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others [x]experienced mocking and flogging, and further, chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, [y]they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented 38 (people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes [z]in the ground.
39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive [aa]what was promised, 40 because God had [ab]provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
Joshua 23
New American Standard Bible
Joshua’s Farewell Address
1 Now it came about after many days, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on every side, and Joshua was old, advanced in years, 2 that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, their heads, their judges, and their officers, and said to them, “I am old, advanced in years. 3 And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has been fighting for you. 4 See, I have apportioned to you these nations which remain as an inheritance for your tribes, with all the nations which I have eliminated, from the Jordan even to the Great Sea toward the [a]west. 5 And the Lord your God, He will thrust them away from you and [b]drive them from you; and you will take possession of their land, just as the Lord your God [c]promised you. 6 Be very determined, then, to keep and do everything that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, so that you will not turn aside from it to the right or to the left, 7 so that you will not [d]associate with these nations, these which remain with you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. 8 But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. 9 For the Lord has [e]driven out great and mighty nations from before you; and as for you, no one has stood against you to this day. 10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He [f]promised you. 11 So take great care for yourselves that you love the Lord your God. 12 For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain with you, and intermarry with them, so that you [g]associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to [h]drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
14 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; they all have [i]been fulfilled for you, not [j]one of them has failed. 15 But it will come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you [k]all the warnings, until He has eliminated you from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. 16 When you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.”
Joshua 24
Joshua Reviews Israel’s History
1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, their heads, their judges, and their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his [l]descendants and gave him Isaac. 4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 5 Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt [m]by what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out. 6 So I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the [n]Red Sea. 7 But when they cried out to the Lord, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them; and your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness for a long time. 8 Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you; but I handed them over to you, and you took possession of their land when I eliminated them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, rose up and fought against Israel, and he sent messengers and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. 10 But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I saved you from his hand. 11 You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Therefore I handed them over to you. 12 Then I sent the hornet before you and it [o]drove out the two kings of the Amorites from you—not by your sword nor your bow. 13 And I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’
“We Will Serve the Lord”
14 “Now, therefore, [p]fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and [q]truth; and do away with the gods which your fathers served beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
16 The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we would abandon the Lord to serve other gods; 17 for the Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves, and did these great signs in our sight and watched over us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. 18 The Lord drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”
19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your wrongdoing or your sins. 20 If you abandon the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and destroy you after He has done good to you.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22 So Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the Lord, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 “Now then, do away with the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and [r]obey His voice.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 Then Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, because it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke [s]to us; so it shall be a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God.” 28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance.
Joshua’s Death and Burial
29 Now it came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old. 30 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash.
31 Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who [t]survived Joshua, and had known every deed of the Lord which He had done for Israel.
32 Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the plot of land which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred [u]pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons. 33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of his son Phinehas, which was given to him in the hill country of Ephraim.
Psalm 91
New American Standard Bible
Security of One Who Trusts in the Lord.
1 One who dwells in the shelter of the Most HighWill lodge in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,My God, in whom I trust!” 3 For it is He who rescues you from the net of the trapper And from the deadly plague. 4 He will cover you with His pinions,And under His wings you may take refuge;His faithfulness is a shield and wall.
5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night,Or of the arrow that flies by day;6 Of the plague that [a]stalks in darkness,Or of the destruction that devastates at noon.7 A thousand may fall at your sideAnd ten thousand at your right hand,But it shall not approach you.8 You will only look on with your eyesAnd see the retaliation against the wicked.9 [b]For you have made the Lord, my refuge,The Most High, your dwelling place.10 No evil will happen to you,Nor will any plague come near your [c]tent.
11 For He will give His angels orders concerning you,To protect you in all your ways.12 On their hands they will lift you up,So that you do not strike your foot against a stone.13 You will walk upon the lion and cobra,You will trample the young lion and the [d]serpent.
14 “Because he has loved Me, I will save him;I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;I will be with him in [e]trouble;I will rescue him and honor him.16 I will satisfy him with [f]a long life,And [g]show him My salvation.”