Sunday, 18 Shevat 5784 / January 28, 2024
Day 393 Readings
Torah: Parshat Yitro, 1st Portion Shemot (Exodus) 18:1-12
Exodus 18:1-12
Complete Jewish Bible
Parashah 17: Yitro (Jethro) 18:1–20:23(26)
18 Now Yitro the priest of Midyan, Moshe’s father-in-law, heard about all that God had done for Moshe and for Isra’el his people, how Adonai had brought Isra’el out of Egypt. 2 After Moshe had sent away his wife Tzipporah and her two sons, Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law had taken them back. 3 The name of the one son was Gershom, for Moshe had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” 4 The name of the other was Eli‘ezer [my God helps], “because the God of my father helped me by rescuing me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 5 Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law brought Moshe’s sons and wife to him in the desert where he was encamped, at the mountain of God. 6 He sent word to Moshe, “I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”
7 Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other’s welfare, they entered the tent. 8 Moshe told his father-in-law all that Adonai had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Isra’el’s sake, all the hardships they had suffered while traveling and how Adonai had rescued them. 9 Yitro rejoiced over all the good that Adonai had done for Isra’el by rescuing them from the Egyptians. 10 Yitro said, “Blessed be Adonai, who has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, who has rescued the people from the harsh hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that Adonai is greater than all other gods, because he rescued those who were treated so arrogantly.” 12 Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aharon came with all the leaders of Isra’el to share the meal before God with Moshe’s father-in-law.
Bible Study Together
Song of Solomon 1
English Standard Version
1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.
The Bride Confesses Her Love
She[a]
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!For your love is better than wine; 3 your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. 4 Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers.
Others
We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
She
5 I am very dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem,like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. 6 Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has looked upon me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept! 7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon;for why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions?
Solomon and His Bride Delight in Each Other
He
8 If you do not know, O most beautiful among women,follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.
9 I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots. 10 Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels.
Others
11 We will make for you[b] ornaments of gold, studded with silver.
She
12 While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance.13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh that lies between my breasts.14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi.
He
15 Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves.
She
16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful. Our couch is green;
17 the beams of our house are cedar; our rafters are pine.
Song of Solomon 2
1 I am a rose[c] of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
He
2 As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women.
She
3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men.With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. 4 He brought me to the banqueting house,[d] and his banner over me was love. 5 Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me! 7 I adjure you,[e] O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
The Bride Adores Her Beloved
8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes,leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. 9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice. 10 My beloved speaks and says to me:“Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, 11 for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing[f] has come,and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. 14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff,let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. 15 Catch the foxes[g] for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.”
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes[h] among the lilies. 17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee,turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on cleft mountains.[i]
ESV Readings
Scripture
Genesis 25:1-18
English Standard Version
Abraham's Death and His Descendants
25 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled[a] over against all his kinsmen.
1 Chronicles 29:22-30
English Standard Version
22 And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness.
Solomon Anointed King
And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the Lord, and Zadok as priest.
23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25 And the Lord made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
The Death of David
26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 28 Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. 29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, 30 with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.
Luke 18:1-30
English Standard Version
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Let the Children Come to Me
15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
The Rich Ruler
18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers[b] or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Dear AVI,
Blessed are YOU O LORD My GOD and KING of the Universe!!! Holy is YOUR Name for there is None like YOU HOLY ONE of Israel! YOU are worthy of all blessings and honor and devotion O GOD for YOU alone are GOD!!! O LORD, I have been struggling greatly with my feelings for Stephen the man YOU have shown me since I met him on September 19, 2023 where the Nishimura planet entered Virgo the Virgin lady. I have been struggling because I do not want to long for someone the way I long for him, I do not want to love anyone who doesn't love me back. I pray for someone to love me that I can love in return like YOU first loved me O GOD. I want to focus on YOU and not on him but everytime I long for him I pray for him, I pray and beg YOU to please reveal YOURSELF to him that he mayknow YOU and fall in love with YOU, that he may follow YOU and bring his family into YOUR Kingdom and many others too. Bring his spirit to life because he is precious to YOU O GOD, let this love YOU have given me be used for YOUR glory by making it the drive to pray for him consistently. I pray for his Mom that YOU indeed comfort and fill her with YOUR love O GOD and take care of her and all her emotional needs. I pray that YOU will indeed speak to her and reveal YOURSELF to her in an intimate way that only YOU can. Please LORD, set me free from loving such a person who cannot love me back because I am not like YOU, I cannot love anyone unconditionally too, I am human that is only used by YOU but if truly YOUR will is for us to be married, then please O GOD let Stephen love me more than I love him, let me feel his love and care for me and make my dreams come true O GOD. Let him to love me more than I loved him, let me see it now in the Name of JESUS, and enable me to just keep my eyes on YOU O GOD. I feel the strong wind blowing on me as I pray for these things right now. I pray that YOU fill their house with YOUR Presence O GOD, I pray that YOU show up in a glorious way in their lives O GOD. I pray for a sudden miracle of a surprise wedding for us O GOD, let the old times of matchmaking and marriage like Isaac and Rebekkah become alive in our lives once again because of YOUR Grace and favor that is within us.
Ba HaShem YESHUA HaMashiach, Amen!
Psalm 26
English Standard Version
I Will Bless the Lord
Of David.
1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.[a]
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
4 I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. 5 I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord, 7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. 9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, 10 in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. 12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.