Day 192 of 365

2 Kgs 10:1–36

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab, saying,

2 "Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor.

3 Select the best and fittest of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings did not stand before him! How then shall we stand?"

5 He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes."

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

7 It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.

8 A messenger came, and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." He said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."

9 It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, "You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?

10 Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab. For the Lord has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah."

11 So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,

13 Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen."

14 He said, "Take them alive!" They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He did not leave any of them.

15 When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." "If it is, give me your hand." He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 He said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord." So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Elijah.

18 Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.

19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshippers, and all of his priests. Let none be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live." But Jehu did it in subtlety, intending that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20 Jehu said, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!" They proclaimed it.

21 Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that did not come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.

22 He said to him who was over the vestry, "Bring out robes for all the worshippers of Baal!" He brought robes out to them.

23 Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshippers of Baal, "Search, and look that there are here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Baal only."

24 They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said, "If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him."

25 It happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, "Go in, and kill them! Let none escape." They struck them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

26 They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu did not depart from after them, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 The Lord said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the Lord began to cut off from Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel;

33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Acts 15:14–41

14 Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his name.

15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written,

16 'After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up,

17 That the rest of men may seek after the Lord; All the Gentiles who are called by my name,' Says the Lord, who makes these things

18 known from of old.

19 "Therefore my judgment is that we do not trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

20 but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.

23 They wrote these things by their hand: "The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, to whom we gave no commandment;

25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell."

30 So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.

32 Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them.

33 After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the brothers to those that had sent them forth.

35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord, with many others also.

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing."

37 Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also.

38 But Paul did not think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and did not go with them to do the work.

39 Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus,

40 but Paul chose Silas, and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Song 2:1–10

1 I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Lover

2 As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Beloved

3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 He brought me to the banquet hall. His banner over me is love.

5 Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples; For I am faint with love.

6 His left hand is under my head. His right hand embraces me.

7 I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, or by the hinds of the field, that you not stir up, nor awaken love, until it so desires.

8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.

9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice.

10 My beloved spoke, and said to me, "Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.