Tuesday, 30 January

1.   It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2.   And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. 3.   So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4.   She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5.   And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. 6.   Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7.   But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him. 8.   And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother." 9.   But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10.   And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also. 11.   Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter–in–law, "Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. 12.   Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13.   And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look, your father–in–law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 14.   So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. 15.   When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. 16.   Then he turned to her by the way, and said, "Please let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter–in–law. So she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" 17.   And he said, "I will send a young goat from the flock." So she said, "Will you give me a pledge till you send it ?" 18.   Then he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" So she said, "Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand." Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19.   So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20.   And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 21.   Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this place ." 22.   So he returned to Judah and said, "I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place ." 23.   Then Judah said, "Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her." 24.   And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter–in–law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry." So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!" 25.   When she was brought out, she sent to her father–in–law, saying, "By the man to whom these belong, I am with child." And she said, "Please determine whose these are ––the signet and cord, and staff." 26.   So Judah acknowledged them and said, "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he never knew her again. 27.   Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. 28.   And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." 29.   Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, "How did you break through? This breach be upon you!" Therefore his name was called Perez. 30.   Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

1.   Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2.   "How long will you speak these things , And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? 3.   Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice? 4.   If your sons have sinned against Him, He has cast them away for their transgression. 5.   If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, 6.   If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. 7.   Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly. 8.   "For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers; 9.   For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow. 10.   Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart? 11.   "Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? 12.   While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant. 13.   So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, 14.   Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider’s web. 15.   He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure. 16.   He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden. 17.   His roots wrap around the rock heap, And look for a place in the stones. 18.   If he is destroyed from his place, Then it will deny him, saying , ‘I have not seen you.’ 19.   "Behold, this is the joy of His way, And out of the earth others will grow. 20.   Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers. 21.   He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing. 22.   Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing."

1.   Then Job answered and said: 2.   "Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God? 3.   If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. 4.   God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered? 5.   He removes the mountains, and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger; 6.   He shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble; 7.   He commands the sun, and it does not rise; He seals off the stars; 8.   He alone spreads out the heavens, And treads on the waves of the sea; 9.   He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south; 10.   He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number. 11.   If He goes by me, I do not see Him ; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him; 12.   If He takes away, who can hinder Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’ 13.   God will not withdraw His anger, The allies of the proud lie prostrate beneath Him. 14.   "How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him? 15.   For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge. 16.   If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice. 17.   For He crushes me with a tempest, And multiplies my wounds without cause. 18.   He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness. 19.   If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong; And if of justice, who will appoint my day in court ? 20.   Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless, it would prove me perverse. 21.   "I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life. 22.   It is all one thing ; Therefore I say, ‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’ 23.   If the scourge slays suddenly, He laughs at the plight of the innocent. 24.   The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He , who else could it be? 25.   "Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good. 26.   They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey. 27.   If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile,’ 28.   I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent. 29.   If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? 30.   If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap, 31.   Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me. 32.   "For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. 33.   Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. 34.   Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me. 35.   Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.

1.   "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2.   "Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3.   "And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4.   "and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5.   "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6.   "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7.   "They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ 8.   "So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9.   "And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10.   "But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11.   "And when they had received it , they complained against the landowner, 12.   "saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13.   "But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14.   ‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15.   ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16.   "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."