Saturday, 03 August

2.   Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3.   And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies." 4.   So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5.   And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6.   Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean ?" Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. 7.   So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. 8.   "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9.   "Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!" 10.   So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11.   Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. 12.   Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 13.   Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it , all the city cried out. 14.   When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, "What does the sound of this tumult mean ?" And the man came quickly and told Eli. 15.   Eli was ninety–eight years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see. 16.   Then the man said to Eli, "I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line." And he said, "What happened, my son?" 17.   So the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured." 18.   Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 19.   Now his daughter–in–law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father–in–law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. 20.   And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Do not fear, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer, nor did she regard it . 21.   Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father–in–law and her husband. 22.   And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."

1.   Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2.   When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3.   And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4.   And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. 5.   Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. 6.   But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. 7.   And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was , they said, "The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god." 8.   Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" And they answered, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath." So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. 9.   So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them. 10.   Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!" 11.   So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, "Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12.   And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1.   "They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man’s, May he return to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me," says the LORD. 2.   "Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: Where have you not lain with men ? By the road you have sat for them Like an Arabian in the wilderness; And you have polluted the land With your harlotries and your wickedness. 3.   Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot’s forehead; You refuse to be ashamed. 4.   Will you not from this time cry to Me, ‘My father, You are the guide of my youth? 5.   Will He remain angry forever? Will He keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and done evil things, As you were able." 6.   The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: "Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. 7.   "And I said, after she had done all these things , ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8.   "Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. 9.   "So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10.   "And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the LORD. 11.   Then the LORD said to me, "Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12.   "Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever. 13.   Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the LORD your God, And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the LORD. 14.   "Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15.   "And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16.   "Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days," says the LORD, "that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it , nor shall it be made anymore. 17.   "At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. 18.   "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers. 19.   "But I said: ‘How can I put you among the children And give you a pleasant land, A beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?’ "And I said: ‘You shall call Me, "My Father," And not turn away from Me.’ 20.   Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, So have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel," says the LORD. 21.   A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the LORD their God. 22.   "Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings." "Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God. 23.   Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, And from the multitude of mountains; Truly, in the LORD our God Is the salvation of Israel. 24.   For shame has devoured The labor of our fathers from our youth––Their flocks and their herds, Their sons and their daughters. 25.   We lie down in our shame, And our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, We and our fathers, From our youth even to this day, And have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

1.   You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2.   And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3.   You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4.   No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5.   And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6.   The hard–working farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7.   Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. 8.   Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9.   for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10.   Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11.   This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him , We shall also live with Him . 12.   If we endure, We shall also reign with Him . If we deny Him , He also will deny us. 13.   If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 14.   Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15.   Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16.   But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17.   And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18.   who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19.   Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20.   But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21.   Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22.   Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23.   But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24.   And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25.   in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26.   and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.