Shabbat, 18 Tevet 5784 / December 30, 2023
Day 364 Readings
Torah: Parshat Vayechi, 7th Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 50:21-50:26
Vayechi (And He Lived): Jacob Prophecies the Coming of the Messiah
Genesis 50:21-26
Complete Jewish Bible
(vii) 21 So don’t be afraid — I will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he comforted them, speaking kindly to them.
22 Yosef continued living in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Yosef lived 110 years. (Maftir) 23 Yosef lived to see Efrayim’s great-grandchildren, and the children of M’nasheh’s son Makhir were born on Yosef’s knees.
24 Yosef said to his brothers, “I am dying. But God will surely remember you and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.” 25 Then Yosef took an oath from the sons of Isra’el: “God will surely remember you, and you are to carry my bones up from here.” 26 So Yosef died at the age of 110, and they embalmed him and put him in a coffin in Egypt.
Haftarah Vayechi: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 2:1–12
1 Kings 2:1-12
New American Standard Bible
David’s Command to Solomon
1 As David’s [a]time to die drew near, he commanded his son Solomon, saying, 2 “I am going the way of all the earth. So be strong, and [b]prove yourself a man. 3 Do your duty to the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to [c]keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 so that the Lord may fulfill His [d]promise which He spoke regarding me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me in [e]truth with all their heart and all their soul, [f]you shall not be deprived of a man to occupy the throne of Israel.’
5 “Now you yourself also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also [g]shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt that was on his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 6 So act as your wisdom dictates, and do not let his gray hair go down to [h]Sheol in peace. 7 However, show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for [i]they assisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 And behold, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjaminite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a painful curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 But now do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to [j]Sheol with blood.”
Death of David
10 Then David [k]lay down with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David. 11 Now the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: in Hebron he reigned for seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years. 12 Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Vayechi: Acts 7:9–16 (specifically vv. 15–16);
Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 11:21–22; 1 Kefa (1 Peter) 1:3–9; 2:11–17
Hebrews 11:21-22
Complete Jewish Bible
21 By trusting, Ya‘akov, when he was dying, blessed each of Yosef’s sons, leaning on his walking-stick as he bowed in prayer.[a]
22 By trusting, Yosef, near the end of his life, remembered about the Exodus of the people of Isra’el and gave instructions about what to do with his bones.
1 Peter 1:3-9
New American Standard Bible
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various [a]trials, 7 so that the [b]proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and [c]full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of [d]your souls.
1 Peter 2:11-17
New American Standard Bible
11 Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may [a]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of [b]visitation.
Honor Authority
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent [c]by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For [d]such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Act as free people, and [e]do not use your freedom as a [f]covering for evil, but use it as bond-servants of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the [g]king.
Hazak, hazak, v’nit’chazek!
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!
Bible Study Together
2 Samuel 11
New American Standard Bible
Bathsheba, David’s Great Sin
1 Then it happened [a]in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they brought destruction on the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.
2 Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. 3 So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers and [b]had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5 But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, “I am pregnant.”
26 Now when Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 When the time of mourning was over, David sent servants and [o]had her brought to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6
New American Standard Bible
Lawsuits Discouraged
1 Does any one of you, when he has a [a]case against [b]his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the [c]saints? 2 Or do you not know that the [d]saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to form the smallest [e]law courts? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 4 So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, [f]do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you anyone wise who will be able to decide between his brothers and sisters, 6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer the wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 On the contrary, you yourselves do wrong and defraud. And this to your brothers and sisters!
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [g]homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and [h]in the Spirit of our God.
The Body Is the Lord’s
12 All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will do away with both [i]of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? [j]Far from it! 16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the [k]sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a [l]temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from [m]God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
365 Daily Kingdom Living
A New Song
Hearing the same old accusing voices in your head? Refuse to let such words of condemnation ring in your ears. How? Begin today with a new song - let us sing of God’s creation, His majestic power and His steadfast love for us all. And see how we grow in strength and confidence in Him.
Prayer: Lord, when I praise Your holy name my spirit is up-lifted. Thank you for giving me a new song that reflects Your majestic glory and Your loving kindness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
Malachi 1
New American Standard Bible
God’s Love for Jacob
1 The pronouncement of the word of the Lord to Israel through [a]Malachi:
2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will [b]return and build up the ruins”; this is what the Lord of armies says: “They may build, but I will tear down; and people will call them the [c]territory of wickedness, and the people [d]with whom the Lord is indignant forever.” 5 And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “The Lord [e]be exalted beyond the [f]border of Israel!”
Sin of the Priests
6 “‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My [g]respect?’ says the Lord of armies to you, the priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting defiled [h]food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is to be despised.’ 8 And when you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Or when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not evil? So offer it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you, or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of armies. 9 “But now, do indeed plead for God’s favor, so that He will be gracious to us. [i]With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of armies. 10 “If only there were one among you who would shut the [j]gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of armies, “nor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name shall be great among the nations, and in every place frankincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be great among the nations,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “But you are profaning it by your saying, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘See, [k]how tiresome it is!’ And you view it as trivial,” says the Lord of armies, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I accept it from your hand?” says the Lord. 14 “But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the Lord of armies, “and My name is [l]feared among the [m]nations.”
Malachi 2
Priests to Be Disciplined
1 “And now, this commandment is for you, the priests. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of armies, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3 Behold, I am going to rebuke your [n]descendants, and I will spread [o]dung on your faces, the [p]dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away [q]with it. 4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [r]so that My covenant may [s]continue with Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of [t]reverence; so he [u]revered Me and was in awe of My name. 6 [v]True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing. 7 For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek [w]instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of armies. 8 But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble [x]by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 9 “So I also have made you despised and of low reputation [y]in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.”
Sin in the Family
10 Do we not all have one Father? Is it not one God who has created us? Why do we deal treacherously, each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord [aa]which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, may the Lord eliminate from the tents of Jacob everyone who is awake and answers, or who presents [ab]an offering to the Lord of armies.
13 And this is [ac]another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and sighing, because He no longer gives attention to the [ad]offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your marriage companion and your wife by covenant. 15 [ae]But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And [af]why the one? He was seeking a godly offspring. Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 “For [ag]I hate [ah]divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and [ai]him who covers his garment with violence,” says the Lord of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”
Revelation 21
New American Standard Bible
The New Heaven and Earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His [a]people, and God Himself will be among them[b], 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “[c]It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give water to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life, without cost. 7 The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 But for the cowardly, and [d]unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and [e]brimstone, which is the second death.”
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, [f]full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
The New Jerusalem
10 And he carried me away [g]in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her [h]brilliance was like a very valuable stone, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 12 [i]It had a great and high wall, [j]with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on the gates, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The one who spoke with me had a [k]gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the [l]rod, [m]twelve thousand stadia; its length, width, and height are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, [n]144 cubits, by human [o]measurements, which are also angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like [p]clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 I saw no [q]temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its [r]temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth [s]will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those [t]whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Psalm 149
New American Standard Bible
Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.
1 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!Sing a new song to the Lord,And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. 2 Israel shall be joyful in his Maker; The sons of Zion shall rejoice in their King. 3 They shall praise His name with dancing; They shall sing praises to Him with tambourine and lyre. 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will glorify the lowly with salvation.
5 The godly ones shall be jubilant in glory; They shall sing for joy on their beds. 6 The high praises of God shall be in their [c]mouths, And a two-edged sword in their hands, 7 To execute vengeance on the nations,And punishment on the peoples, 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their dignitaries with shackles of iron,9 To execute against them the judgment written. This is an honor for all His godly ones.[d]Praise [e]the Lord!
Proverbs 31:10-24
New American Standard Bible
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An excellent wife, who can find her?For her worth is far above jewels.11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,And he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. 13 She looks for wool and linen,And works with her [a]hands [b]in delight. 14 She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. 15 And she rises while it is still night And gives food to her household, And [c]portions to her attendants. 16 She considers a field and buys it; From [d]her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She surrounds her waist with strength And makes her arms strong.18 She senses that her profit is good;Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She stretches out her hands to the [e]distaff,And her [f]hands grasp the spindle. 20 She [g]extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,For all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates,When he sits among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them, And [h]supplies belts to the [i]tradesmen.