136. 15-May Daily Reading (Prophets and Writings).

Judges 19, Psalms 44, Proverbs 1.

Judges 19.

1 \Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. The Levite's Concubine. .\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnest”\

It happened in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.
2 His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there the space of four months.
3 Her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys: and she brought him into her father’s house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
4 His father-in-law, the young lady’s father, retained him; and he stayed with him three days: so they ate and drink, and lodged there.
5 It happened on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart: and the young lady’s father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.”
6 So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together: and the young lady’s father said to the man, “Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.”
7 The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.
8 He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady’s father said, “Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines;” and they both ate.
9 When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night: behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early, that you may go home.”
10 But the man wouldn’t stay that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus (the same is Jerusalem): and there were with him a couple of donkeys saddled; his concubine also was with him.
11 When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Please come and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.”
12 His master said to him, “We won’t turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.”
13 He said to his servant, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.”
14 So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
15 They turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah: and he went in, and sat him down in the street of the city; for there was no man who took them into his house to lodge.
16 Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening: now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim, and he lived in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.
17 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
18 He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem Judah. I am going to the house of YHWH; and there is no man who takes me into his house.
19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servants: there is no want of anything.”
20 The old man said, “Peace be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don’t lodge in the street.”
21 So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and ate and drink.

22 \Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. Gibeah's Crime. .\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnest”\

As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may have sex with him!”
23 The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, “No, my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, don’t do this folly.
24 Behold, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now. Humble them, and do with them what seems good to you; but to this man don’t do any such folly.”
25 But the men wouldn’t listen to him: so the man laid hold of his concubine, and brought her out to them; and they had sex with her, and abused her all night until the morning: and when the day began to dawn, they let her go.
26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was light.
27 Her master rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
28 He said to her, “Get up, and let us be going!” but no one answered. Then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and went to his place.
29 When he had come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.
30 It was so, that all who saw it said, “There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day! Consider it, take counsel, and speak.”

Psalms 44.

1 \Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. .\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnest”\

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm. We have heard with our ears, ELOHIM; our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the days of old.
2 You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.
3 For they didn’t get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.
4 You are my King, ELOHIM! Command victories for Jacob!
5 Through you, will we push down our adversaries. Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.
8 In ELOHIM we have made our boast all day long, we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.
9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take spoil for themselves.
11 You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.
13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,
16 At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten you, Neither have we been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,
19 Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our ELOHIM, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;
21 won’t ELOHIM search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Wake up! Why do you sleep, ADONAI? Arise! Don’t reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body clings to the earth.
26 Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake.

Proverbs 1.

1 . The Beginning of Knowledge\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. .\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnest”\ Proverbs!

The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:
6 to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

8 . Shun Evil Counsel\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. .\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnest”\

My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with spoil.
14 You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.”
15 My son, don’t walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:
18 but these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

20 . The Call of Wisdom\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnestLOW”\. .\Vce=Speaker=“LeslieEarnest”\

Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.
28 Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of YHWH!
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

! ! End of The Daily Reading from the PROPHETS AND WRITINGS! Praise Yah! (HNV-yet version, in the public domain.) \Eng:[:phone arpa SAMPA][_:<3333,0>]\