Day 190 of 365

2 Kgs 7:1–8:29

7:1 Elisha said, "Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord, 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'"

7:2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, "Behold, if the Lord made windows in heaven, could this thing be?" He said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it."

7:3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said one to another, "Why do we sit here until we die?

7:4 If we say, 'We will enter into the city,' then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. If we sit still here, we also die. Now therefore come, and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die."

7:5 They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians. When they had come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there.

7:6 For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army: and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come on us.

7:7 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

7:8 When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and hid it. Then they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried there also, and went and hid it.

7:9 Then they said one to another, "We aren't doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household."

7:10 So they came and called to the porter of the city; and they told them, saying, "We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were."

7:11 He called the porters; and they told it to the king's household within.

7:12 The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, "I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.'"

7:13 One of his servants answered, "Please let some take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel who are consumed. Let us send and see."

7:14 They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the army of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see."

7:15 They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king.

7:16 The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.

7:17 The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

7:18 It happened, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria";

7:19 and that captain answered the man of God, and said, "Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?" and he said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it."

7:20 It happened like that to him; for the people trod on him in the gate, and he died.

8:1 Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine. It shall also come on the land seven years."

8:2 The woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household, and lived in the land of the Philistines seven years.

8:3 It happened at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines. Then she went forth to cry to the king for her house and for her land.

8:4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, "Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done."

8:5 It happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, that behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, "My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life."

8:6 When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, "Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now."

8:7 Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick. It was told him, saying, "The man of God has come here."

8:8 The king said to Hazael, "Take a present in your hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, 'Will I recover from this sickness?'"

8:9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, "Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, 'Will I recover from this sickness?'"

8:10 Elisha said to him, "Go, tell him, 'You shall surely recover;' however the Lord has shown me that he shall surely die."

8:11 He settled his gaze steadfastly on him, until he was ashamed. Then the man of God wept.

8:12 Hazael said, "Why do you weep, my lord?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child."

8:13 Hazael said, "But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?" Elisha answered, "The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Syria."

8:14 Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, "What did Elisha say to you?" He answered, "He told me that you would surely recover."

8:15 It happened on the next day, that he took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died. Then Hazael reigned in his place.

8:16 In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being king of Judah then, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.

8:17 He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign. He reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

8:18 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife. He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

8:19 However the Lord would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.

8:20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

8:21 Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, and the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to their tents.

8:22 So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

8:23 The rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

8:24 Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.

8:26 Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

8:27 He walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

8:28 He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.

8:29 King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Acts 14:1–28

1 It happened in Iconium that they entered together into the Jewish synagogue, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.

2 But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.

3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

4 But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

5 When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them,

6 they became aware of it, and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region.

7 There they preached the Good News.

8 At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked.

9 He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,

10 said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!" He leaped up and walked.

11 When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!"

12 They called Barnabas "Jupiter," and Paul "Mercury," because he was the chief speaker.

13 The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes.

14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out,

15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them;

16 who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."

18 Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.

19 But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

20 But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.

21 When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God.

23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

24 They passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia.

25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.

27 When they had arrived, and had gathered the church together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.

28 They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.

Song 1:6–17

6 Do not stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven't kept my own vineyard.

7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you graze your flock, where you rest them at noon; For why should I be as one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions? Lover

8 If you do not know, most beautiful among women, follow the tracks of the sheep. Graze your young goats beside the shepherds' tents.

9 I have compared you, my love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots.

10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels.

11 We will make you earrings of gold, with studs of silver. Beloved

12 While the king sat at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.

13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh, that lies between my breasts.

14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. Lover

15 Behold, you are beautiful, my love. Behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves. Beloved

16 Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, yes, pleasant; and our couch is verdant. Lover

17 The beams of our house are cedars. Our rafters are firs. Beloved