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Daily Readings for July 27
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2Samuel 13
1.It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2.Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her. 3.But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man. 4.He said to him, "Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won't you tell me?"
Amnon said to him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."
5.Jonadab said to him, "Lay down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.'"
6.So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand." 7.Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him." 8.So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9.She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have all men leave me." Every man went out from him. 10.Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother. 11.When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister!"
12.She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Don't you do this folly. 13.I, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you."
14.However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. 15.Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Arise, be gone!"
16.She said to him, "Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!"
But he would not listen to her. 17.Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, "Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her." 18.She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19.Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went. 20.Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart."
So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house. 21.But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22.Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. 23.It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24.Absalom came to the king, and said, "See now, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant."
25.The king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you." He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him. 26.Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us."
The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"
27.But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28.Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "Mark now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Don't be afraid. Haven't I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!"
29.The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up on his mule, and fled. 30.It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, "Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left!"
31.Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32.Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered, "Don't let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33.Now therefore don't let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead." 34.But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him. 35.Jonadab said to the king, "Behold, the king's sons are coming! It is as your servant said." 36.It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly. 37.But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day. 38.So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39.King David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.
Jeremiah 17
1.The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars; 2.while their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees on the high hills. 3.My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a spoil, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders. 4.You, even of yourself, shall discontinue from your heritage that I gave you; and I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don't know: for you have kindled a fire in my anger which shall burn forever. 5.Thus says Yahweh: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from Yahweh. 6.For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. 7.Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose trust Yahweh is. 8.For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9.The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? 10.I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. 11.As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool. 12.A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13.Yahweh, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be disappointed. Those who depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Yahweh, the spring of living waters. 14.Heal me, O Yahweh, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for you are my praise. 15.Behold, they tell me, Where is the word of Yahweh? let it come now. 16.As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you; neither have I desired the woeful day; you know: that which came out of my lips was before your face. 17.Don't be a terror to me: you are my refuge in the day of evil. 18.Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but let not me be disappointed; let them be dismayed, but don't let me be dismayed; bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. 19.Thus said Yahweh to me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; 20.and tell them, Hear the word of Yahweh, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: 21.Thus says Yahweh, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22.neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day holy, neither do any work: but make the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. 23.But they didn't listen, neither turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction. 24.It shall happen, if you diligently listen to me, says Yahweh, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein; 25.then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever. 26.They shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowland, and from the hill country, and from the South, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meal offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, to the house of Yahweh. 27.But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Matthew 28
1.Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2.Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3.His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4.For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men. 5.The angel answered the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. 6.He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying. 7.Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."
8.They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. 9.As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"
They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
10.Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers133 that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me."
11.Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12.When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, 13.saying, "Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 14.If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry." 15.So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.
16.But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them. 17.When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted. 18.Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19.Go,[134] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20.teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.