Friday, 11 Kislev 5994 / 24 November 2023

Day 328 Readings

Torah: Vayeitzei, 6th Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 31:17-42

17 Then Jacob stood up and put his children and his wives on camels; 18 and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had acquired, the livestock he possessed which he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stole the [a]household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob [b]deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he got up and crossed the Euphrates River, and set [c]out for the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 When Laban was informed on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 However, God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “[d]Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

25 And Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done [e]by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and [f]deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with tambourine and with lyre; 28 and did not allow me to kiss my [g]grandchildren and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in [h]my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘[i]Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives [j]point out what is yours [k]among my belongings and take it for yourself.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the [l]household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “May my lord not be angry that I cannot stand in your presence, because the [m]way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the [n]household idols.

36 Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? 37 Though you have searched through all my property, what have you found of all your household property? Set it here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they may decide between the two of us. 38 For these twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 I did not even bring to you that which was torn by wild animals; I took the loss myself. You demanded it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 This is how I was: by day the [o]heat consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 For these twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”

Bible Study Together

1 Samuel 19

David Protected from Saul

19 Now Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David. 2 So Jonathan informed David, saying, “My father Saul is seeking to put you to death. Now then, please be on your guard in the morning, and stay in a hiding place and conceal yourself. 3 And as for me, I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are hiding, and I will speak with my father about you; and whatever I [a]find out, I will tell you.” 4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very [b]beneficial to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great [c]victory for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death [d]for no reason?” 6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the Lord lives, David shall not be put to death.” 7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

8 When there was war again, David went out and fought the Philistines and [e]defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled from him. 9 Now there was an evil spirit from the Lord on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand. 10 And Saul tried to [f]pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, informed him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death!” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took the [g]household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothing. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on [h]his bed, so that I may put him to death.” 16 When the messengers entered, behold, the [i]household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head. 17 So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you betrayed me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I put you to death?’”

18 So David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah; and he informed him of everything that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 But it was reported to Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied. 21 When Saul was informed of this, he sent other messengers, but they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, yet they prophesied. 22 Then he went to Ramah himself and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he [j]asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he [k]proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; but the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and [l]lay down [m]naked all that day and all night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Psalm 11

New American Standard Bible

The Lord, a Refuge and Defense.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

1 In the Lord I take refuge;How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2 For, behold, the wicked bend the bow,They have [a]set their arrow on the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?”

4 The Lord is in His holy temple; the [b]Lord’s throne is in heaven;His eyes see, His eyelids test the sons of mankind. 5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,And His soul hates one who loves violence. 6 He will rain [c]coals of fire upon the wicked,And brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. 7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves [d]righteousness;The upright will see His face.

1 Timothy 6:3-10

New American Standard Bible

3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not [a]agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he [b]has a sick craving for controversial questions and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that [c]godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. 8 If we have food and [d]covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [e]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many [f]griefs.

365 Daily Kingdom Living

Jehovah-Shammah

God revealed to Ezekiel what the New Jerusalem will look like - the city called "The Lord is There." In that city, people shall live in the presence of God and worship Him. How amazing is Jesus? He was born in a human body made of flesh and bone and dwelled amongst us two thousands years ago. After Jesus rose up to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to be our counsellor and comforter. The Psalmist said, “In your presence there is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures for evermore."

Prayer: Heavenly Father Lord, help me to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. The Lord is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Scripture

Ezekiel 47

3 When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand [b]cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4 Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the [c]hips. 5 Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not [d]wade across, because the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be crossed by wading. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me [e]back to the bank of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the [f]sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become [g]fresh. 9 And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the [h]river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others [i]become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become [j]fresh; they will be [k]left for salt. 12 And by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”

Boundaries and Division of the Land

13 This is what the Lord [l]God says: “This shall be the boundary by which you shall divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two portions. 14 And you shall divide it for an inheritance, each one [m]equally with the other; for I [n]swore to give it to your forefathers, and this land shall fall to you [o]as an inheritance.

21 “So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the strangers who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst. And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23 And in the tribe with which the stranger resides, there you shall give him his inheritance,” declares the Lord God.

Ezekiel 48

The City Gates

30 “Now these are the exits of the city: on the north side, 4,500 cubits by measurement, 31 [an]shall be the gates of the city, [ao]named for the tribes of Israel, three gates toward the north: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; and the gate of Levi, one. 32 On the east side, 4,500 cubits, [ap]shall be three gates: the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; and the gate of Dan, one. 33 On the south side, 4,500 cubits by measurement, [aq]shall be three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; and the gate of Zebulun, one. 34 On the west side, 4,500 cubits, shall be three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; and the gate of Naphtali, one. 35 The city shall be eighteen thousand cubits all around; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘[ar]The Lord is there.’”

1 Peter 3

New American Standard Bible

Godly Living

3 In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your pure [a]and respectful behavior. 3 Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; 4 but it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this way the holy women of former times, who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right [b]without being frightened by any fear.

7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with [c]someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

8 [d]To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, [e]loving, compassionate, and humble; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. 10 For,

“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.11 He must turn away from evil and do good;He must seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,And His ears attend to their prayer,But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

13 And who is [f]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you [g]are blessed. And do not fear their [h]intimidation, and do not be in dread, 15 but [i]sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a [j]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect; 16 [k]and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if [l]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For Christ also [m]suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the [n]spirit; 19 in [o]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God [p]for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Psalm 119:49-64

Zayin

49 Remember the word to Your servant,[a]In which You have made me hope.

50 This is my comfort in my misery,That Your word has [b]revived me.

51 The arrogant utterly deride me, Yet I do not turn aside from Your Law.

52 I have remembered Your judgments from [c]of old, Lord,And comfort myself.

53 Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked,Who abandon Your Law.

54 Your statutes are my songsIn the house of my pilgrimage.

55 Lord, I remember Your name in the night,And keep Your Law.

56 This has become mine,[d]That I comply with Your precepts.

Heth

57 The Lord is my portion;I have [e]promised to keep Your words.

58 I sought Your favor with all my heart;Be gracious to me according to Your [f]word.

59 I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

60 I hurried and did not delayTo keep Your commandments.

61 The snares of the wicked have surrounded me,But I have not forgotten Your Law.

62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to YouBecause of Your righteous judgments.

63 I am a companion to all those who [g]fear You,And to those who keep Your precepts.

64 The earth is full of Your goodness, Lord;Teach me Your statutes.

Proverbs 28:11

11 The rich person is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding [a]sees through him.