Day 139 of 365

1 Sam 6:1–7:17

6:1 The ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

6:2 The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."

6:3 They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."

6:4 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

6:5 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

6:6 Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

6:7 "Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;

6:8 and take the ark of the Lord, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.

6:9 And watch; if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."

6:10 The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;

6:11 and they put the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.

6:12 The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the territory of Beth Shemesh.

6:13 They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

6:14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to the Lord.

6:15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to the Lord.

6:16 When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

6:17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to the Lord: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

6:18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

6:19 He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.

6:20 The men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?"

6:21 They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down, and bring it up to yourselves."

7:1 The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

7:2 It happened, from the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

7:3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you do return to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the Lord, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."

7:4 Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.

7:5 Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to the Lord."

7:6 They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the Lord." Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

7:7 When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

7:8 The children of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines."

7:9 Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel; and the Lord answered him.

7:10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.

7:11 The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar.

7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "The Lord helped us until now."

7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the territory of Israel. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

7:14 The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

7:15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

7:16 He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.

7:17 His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to the Lord.

John 6:36–71

36 But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you do not believe.

37 All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. Him who comes to me I will in no way throw out.

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

39 This is the will of him who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.

40 This is the will of my Father who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

41 The Jewish people therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down out of heaven."

42 They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, 'I have come down out of heaven?'"

43 Therefore Jesus answered them, "Do not murmur among yourselves.

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.

45 It is written in the Prophets, 'They will all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.

46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father.

47 Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.

48 I am the bread of life.

49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

52 The Judeans therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves.

54 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.

58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven-not as the fathers ate, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever."

59 He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60 Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?"

61 But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?

62 Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

64 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.

65 He said, "For this cause have I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by the Father."

66 At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You do not also want to go away, do you?"

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

70 Jesus answered them, "Did not I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

71 Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve.

Ps 59:1–60:12

1 God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again.

2 You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.

3 You have shown your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.

4 You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

5 So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

6 God has spoken from his sanctuary: "I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defense of my head. Judah is my scepter.

8 Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my shoe on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia."

9 Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?

10 Haven't you, God, rejected us? You do not go out with our armies, God.

11 Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.

12 Through God we shall do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.