Wednesday, 08 May

10.   Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, "I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 11.   "Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the LORD has kept you back from honor." 12.   So Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13.   ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak’? 14.   "And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days." 15.   So he took up his oracle and said: "The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; 16.   The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: 17.   "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. 18.   "And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly. 19.   Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city." 20.   Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said: "Amalek was first among the nations, But shall be last until he perishes." 21.   Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said: "Firm is your dwelling place, And your nest is set in the rock; 22.   Nevertheless Kain shall be burned. How long until Asshur carries you away captive?" 23.   Then he took up his oracle and said: "Alas! Who shall live when God does this? 24.   But ships shall come from the coasts of Cyprus, And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict Eber, And so shall Amalek , until he perishes." 25.   So Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place; Balak also went his way.

1.   Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2.   They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3.   So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. 4.   Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the LORD, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel." 5.   So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor." 6.   And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 7.   Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it , he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; 8.   and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. 9.   And those who died in the plague were twenty–four thousand. 10.   Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 11.   "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12.   "Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13.   ‘and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’" 14.   Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites. 15.   And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian. 16.   Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 17.   "Harass the Midianites, and attack them; 18.   "for they harassed you with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor."

1.   My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2.   You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. 3.   So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. 4.   Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. 5.   Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter , And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. 6.   Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7.   Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8.   Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9.   How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10.   A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep–– 11.   So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. 12.   A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; 13.   He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; 14.   Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15.   Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. 16.   These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17.   A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18.   A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19.   A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. 20.   My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21.   Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22.   When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23.   For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24.   To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. 25.   Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. 26.   For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. 27.   Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28.   Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? 29.   So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent. 30.   People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31.   Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. 32.   Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33.   Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. 34.   For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35.   He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

1.   My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. 2.   Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. 3.   Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4.   Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your nearest kin, 5.   That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words. 6.   For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, 7.   And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, 8.   Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house 9.   In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night. 10.   And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. 11.   She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home. 12.   At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner. 13.   So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him: 14.   " I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows. 15.   So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you. 16.   I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen. 17.   I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18.   Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. 19.   For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey; 20.   He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day." 21.   With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. 22.   Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, 23.   Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life. 24.   Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: 25.   Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; 26.   For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men . 27.   Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

1.   Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2.   And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3.   And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4.   Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5.   does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6.   does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7.   bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8.   Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9.   For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10.   But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11.   When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12.   For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13.   And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.