Wednesday, 20 Sivan 5784 / June 26, 2024
Day 543 Readings
Torah: Parshat Shlach, 4th Portion (Bamidbar (Numbers) 14:26-15:7)
Numbers 14:26-15:7
English Standard Version
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”
36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land— 37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land—died by plague before the Lord. 38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.
Israel Defeated in Battle
39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” 41 But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? 42 Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” 44 But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.
Numbers 15
Laws About Sacrifices
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3 and you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering[a] or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord, 4 then he who brings his offering shall offer to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah[b] of fine flour, mixed with a quarter of a hin[c] of oil; 5 and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine for the drink offering for each lamb. 6 Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil. 7 And for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
Bible Study Together
Isaiah 56
English Standard Version
Salvation for Foreigners
1 Thus says the Lord:“Keep justice, and do righteousness,for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast,who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For thus says the Lord:“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant,
5 I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.
6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants,everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer;their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar;for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
8 The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,“I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”
Israel's Irresponsible Leaders
9 All you beasts of the field, come to devour— all you beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge;they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark,dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough.But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
12 “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink;and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.”
Isaiah 57
Israel's Futile Idolatry
1 The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart;devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;2 he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.3 But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.4 Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit,5 you who burn with lust among the oaks,[a] under every green tree,who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot;to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?7 On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice.8 Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial;for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide;and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness.[b]9 You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes;you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol.10 You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint.[c]
11 Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied,and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart?Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me?12 I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you.13 When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, a breath will take them away.But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain.
Comfort for the Contrite
14 And it shall be said,“Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way.”15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:“I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry;for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,19 creating the fruit of the lips.Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
Ephesians 6
English Standard Version
Children and Parents
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants and Masters
5 Bondservants,[a] obey your earthly masters[b] with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master[c] and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
ESV Readings
Scripture
Proverbs 29
English Standard Version
1 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
4 By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts[a] tears it down.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
6 An evil man is ensnared in his transgression, but a righteous man sings and rejoices.
7 A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet. 10 Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright.[b]
11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
12 If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall. 17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,[c] but blessed is he who keeps the law.
19 By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 Whoever pampers his servant from childhood will in the end find him his heir.[d]
22 A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.
23 One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
24 The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
26 Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Micah 4
Matthew 6:19-24
English Standard Version
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.[b]