Daily Readings

¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.² And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.³ And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,⁴ Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.⁵ And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.⁶ And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?⁷ And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.⁸ But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.⁹ And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?¹⁰ And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.¹¹ For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.¹³ And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,¹⁴ And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.¹⁵ So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.¹⁶ And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.¹⁷ But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.¹⁸ Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.¹⁹ And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

¹ And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.² But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,³ Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,⁴ Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.⁵ And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.⁶ He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,⁷ And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,⁸ And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,⁹ And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,¹⁰ And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.¹¹ And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.¹² And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.¹³ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.¹⁴ For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:¹⁵ And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.¹⁶ And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.¹⁷ So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.¹⁸ And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;¹⁹ Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.²⁰ And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.²¹ And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)²² And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.²³ And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

¹ Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.² Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof.³ And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place.⁴ The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary.⁵ And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.⁶ And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.⁷ And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border.⁸ In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.⁹ Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.¹⁰ Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.¹¹ The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.¹² And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.¹³ This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:¹⁴ Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer:¹⁵ And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD.¹⁶ All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.¹⁷ And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.¹⁸ Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:¹⁹ And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.²⁰ And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.²¹ In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.²² And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.²³ And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.²⁴ And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.²⁵ In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.

¹ Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.² There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.³ Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.⁴ Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,⁵ Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.⁷ Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.⁸ For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.⁹ Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.¹⁰ But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;¹¹ Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.¹² On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,¹³ Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.¹⁴ And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,¹⁵ Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.¹⁶ These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.¹⁷ The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.¹⁸ For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.¹⁹ The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.²⁰ And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:²¹ The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.²² Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.²³ And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.²⁵ He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.²⁶ If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.²⁷ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.²⁸ Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.²⁹ The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.³⁰ Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.³¹ Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.³³ This he said, signifying what death he should die.³⁴ The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?³⁵ Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.³⁶ While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.³⁷ But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:³⁸ That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,⁴⁰ He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.⁴¹ These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.⁴² Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:⁴³ For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.⁴⁴ Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.⁴⁵ And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.⁴⁶ I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.⁴⁷ And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.⁴⁸ He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.⁴⁹ For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.