Dubbisa Har'aa: November 9

[1] “At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain and make an ark of wood. [2] And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets that you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.’ [3] So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. [4] And he wrote on the tablets, in the same writing as before, the Ten Commandments that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me. [5] Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark that I had made. And there they are, as the LORD commanded me.”

[6] (The people of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And his son Eleazar ministered as priest in his place. [7] From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with brooks of water. [8] At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day. [9] Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.)

[10] “I myself stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights, and the LORD listened to me that time also. The LORD was unwilling to destroy you. [11] And the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go on your journey at the head of the people, so that they may go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.’

[12] “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, [13] and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? [14] Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. [15] Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. [16] Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. [17] For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. [18] He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. [19] Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. [20] You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. [21] He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. [22] Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

[1] When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
[2] The more they were called,
the more they went away;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals
and burning offerings to idols.


[3] Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up by their arms,
but they did not know that I healed them.
[4] I led them with cords of kindness,
with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and I bent down to them and fed them.


[5] They shall not return to the land of Egypt,
but Assyria shall be their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
[6] The sword shall rage against their cities,
consume the bars of their gates,
and devour them because of their own counsels.
[7] My people are bent on turning away from me,
and though they call out to the Most High,
he shall not raise them up at all.


[8] How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
[9] I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.


[10] They shall go after the LORD;
he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west;
[11] they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
and like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.
[12] Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
and the house of Israel with deceit,
but Judah still walks with God
and is faithful to the Holy One.
[1] Ephraim feeds on the wind
and pursues the east wind all day long;
they multiply falsehood and violence;
they make a covenant with Assyria,
and oil is carried to Egypt.


[2] The LORD has an indictment against Judah
and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
he will repay him according to his deeds.
[3] In the womb he took his brother by the heel,
and in his manhood he strove with God.
[4] He strove with the angel and prevailed;
he wept and sought his favor.
He met God at Bethel,
and there God spoke with us—
[5] the LORD, the God of hosts,
the LORD is his memorial name:
[6] “So you, by the help of your God, return,
hold fast to love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.”


[7] A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,
he loves to oppress.
[8] Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;
I have found wealth for myself;
in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”
[9] I am the LORD your God
from the land of Egypt;
I will again make you dwell in tents,
as in the days of the appointed feast.


[10] I spoke to the prophets;
it was I who multiplied visions,
and through the prophets gave parables.
[11] If there is iniquity in Gilead,
they shall surely come to nothing:
in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;
their altars also are like stone heaps
on the furrows of the field.
[12] Jacob fled to the land of Aram;
there Israel served for a wife,
and for a wife he guarded sheep.
[13] By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,
and by a prophet he was guarded.
[14] Ephraim has given bitter provocation;
so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him
and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.

[1] Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. [2] In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” [3] So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

[4] And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. [5] The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. [6] David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. [7] And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. [8] And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. [9] And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

[10] Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. [11] This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time.

[12] And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. [13] He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. [14] But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the LORD saved them by a great victory.

[15] Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. [16] David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. [17] And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” [18] Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the LORD [19] and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

[20] Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three. [21] He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

[22] And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. [23] And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. [24] These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. [25] He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

[26] The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, [27] Shammoth of Harod, Helez the Pelonite, [28] Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, [29] Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, [30] Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah, [31] Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, [32] Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, [33] Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, [34] Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, [35] Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, [36] Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, [37] Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai, [38] Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, [39] Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, [40] Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, [41] Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, [42] Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, [43] Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, [44] Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, [45] Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, [46] Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, [47] Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

[1] My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. [2] For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, [3] and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” [4] have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? [5] Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? [6] But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? [7] Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

[8] If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. [9] But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. [10] For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. [11] For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. [12] So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. [13] For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

[14] What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? [15] If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, [16] and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? [17] So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

[18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [19] You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! [20] Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? [21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? [22] You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; [23] and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. [24] You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. [25] And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? [26] For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.