Friday, 24 Tevet 5784 / January 5, 2024
Day 370 Readings
Torah: Shemot, 6th Portion Shemot (Exodus) 4:18-31
Exodus 4:18-31
New American Standard Bible
18 Then Moses departed and returned to his father-in-law [a]Jethro, and said to him, “Please, let me go, that I may return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go [b]back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand.
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go [c]back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your [d]power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I said to you, ‘Let My son go so that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I am going to kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
24 But it came about at the overnight encampment on the way, that the Lord met [e]Moses, and sought to put him to death. 25 So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and [f]threw it at Moses’ feet; and she said, “You are indeed a groom of blood to me!” 26 So He left him alone. At that time she said, “You are a groom of blood”—[g]because of the circumcision.
27 Now the Lord said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel; 30 and Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord [h]was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, they bowed low and worshiped.
Bible Study Together
2 Samuel 15
New American Standard Bible
24 Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 25 And the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation. 26 But if He says this: ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, let Him do to me as seems good [l]to Him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I am going to wait at the river crossing places of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.
30 And David was going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, and his head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his own head, and they were going up, weeping as they went. 31 Now someone informed David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”
32 It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his [m]coat torn, and [n]dust on his head. 33 And David said to him, “If you go over with me, then you will become a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father’s servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,’ then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me. 35 Are Zadok and Abiathar the priests not with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
Matthew 20:20-24
New American Standard Bible
Request for Preferred Treatment
20 Then the mother of the [a]sons of Zebedee came to [b]Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you desire?” She said to Him, “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.” 22 But Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”
24 And after hearing this, the other ten disciples became indignant with the two brothers.
ESV Study Bible
Genesis 4
New American Standard Bible
Cain and Abel
4 Now the man [a]had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a male child with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. 3 So it came about [b]in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; 5 but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face [c]was gloomy. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why is your face [d]gloomy? 7 If you do well, [e]will your face not be [f]cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8 Cain [g]talked to his brother Abel; and it happened that when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 Then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! 14 Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and I will be hidden from Your face, and I will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him seven times as much.” And the Lord [h]placed a mark on Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him.
16 Then Cain left the presence of the Lord, and [i]settled in the land of [j]Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain [k]had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city, and named the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives for himself: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and flute. 22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah,Listen to my voice,You wives of Lamech,Pay attention to my words,For I have killed a man for wounding me;And a boy for striking me!24 If Cain is avenged seven times,Then Lamech seventy-seven times!”
25 Adam [l]had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him [m]Seth, for, she said, “God [n]has appointed me another [o]child in place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then people began to call [p]upon the name of the Lord.
1 Chronicles 4
New American Standard Bible
Descendants of Judah
13 Now the sons of Kenaz were Othniel and Seraiah. And the sons of Othniel were Hathath and Meonothai. 14 Meonothai fathered Ophrah, and Seraiah fathered Joab the father of [e]Ge-harashim, for they were craftsmen. 15 The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh were Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the [f]son of Elah was [g]Kenaz.
Descendants of Simeon
40 They found pasture that was rich and good, and the land was spread out on both sides, and peaceful and undisturbed; for those who lived there previously were Hamites. 41 These people, recorded by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and they [s]attacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and utterly destroyed them to this day; and they lived in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42 From them, from the sons of Simeon, five hundred men went to Mount Seir, with Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, as their leaders. 43 They [t]destroyed the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and they have lived there to this day.
Luke 2:1-21
New American Standard Bible
Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem
1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all [a]the inhabited earth. 2 [b]This was the first census taken while [c]Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was [d]betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the [e]time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [f]manger, because there was no [g]room for them in the inn.
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is [h]Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a [i]manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly [j]army of angels praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,And on earth peace among people [k]with whom He is pleased.”
15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the [l]manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
21 And when eight days were completed [m]so that it was time for His circumcision, He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Psalm 3
New American Standard Bible
Morning Prayer of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David, when [a]he fled from his son Absalom.
1 Lord, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me.
2 Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
3 But You, Lord, are a shield around me,My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
4 I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,And He answered me from His holy [b]mountain. Selah
5 [c]I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Arise, Lord; save me, my God! For You [d]have struck all my enemies on the [e]cheek;You [f]have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
8 [g]Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing [h]be upon Your people! Selah
Dear AVI,
HOLY are YOU O GOD Almighty!!! Great I AM, HOLY ONE of Israel there is none like YOU! Toda Raba for this day that YOU have made, I will see Stephen and I pray that YOU bless our time with mom and that he will feel the love of my family and belongingness with us and I pray that YOU bless my cooking for him and his mom and Aunty Bebe too. I pray that YOU enable us to finish what needs to be done in the accounting. I pray that I will continue to be happy and that YOU cleanse my body from all the negative and uncleanness that I ate from pork and other things please help me to live a healthier lifestyle and that I would continue to follow YOUR laws in eating the right way. I pray for YOUR favor upon me heal me and everyone around me. Strengthen Gaily as she does things for her Ama, that YOU will comfort and care of Glory as she loves her family and gives of herself to them. I pray for Toni to have an extra way to earn money, I pray for all our workers to be drawn to YOU and to understand that YOU have entrusted unto us a business that we need to be good stewards of. I pray for YOU to encounter Stephen and Mom Benita, that YOU heal AUnty Bebe and encounter her in the Spirit, and that YOU will heal Uncle James and bring him back to the Uy family and restore them and heal Flients Godwill Uy. I pray for YOUR favor upon us all O GOD heal us, take care of us O GOD, help us to live our lives according to YOUR will. Please make me happy with the husband YOU have chosen for me O GOD. Please heal Dad and Mom and help us to do YOUR will always O GOD, I pray that YOU will not allow anymore helpers to come to our lives that do not love us. I pray that YOU will humble Emilita because she is too proud and I pray that YOU keep Ciriaca humbled too. I pray for good health upon Denesse as she carries the first baby for the Yu family. Toda O GOD for all that YOU have blessed us with, I pray that YOU will continue to speak to me in extra ordinary ways as YOU did before, and fill us all with the Ruach Hakodesh O GOD and bring me and Stephen to Israel someday. For YOU deserve all the glory and honor and power and praise!
Ba HaShem YESHUA HaMashiach, Amen!