Day 226 of 365

2 Chr 23:1–24:27

23:1 In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

23:2 They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

23:3 All the assembly made a covenant with the king in God's house. He said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David.

23:4 This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the thresholds.

23:5 A third part shall be at the king's house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the Lord's house.

23:6 But let no one come into the house of the Lord, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in, for they are holy, but all the people shall follow the Lord's instructions.

23:7 The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out."

23:8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath; with those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the shift.

23:9 Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's, which were in God's house.

23:10 He set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king.

23:11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, "Long live the king!"

23:12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord:

23:13 and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets; the singers also played musical instruments, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, "Treason! Treason!"

23:14 Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword." For the priest said, "Do not kill her in the Lord's house."

23:15 So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king's house; and they killed her there.

23:16 Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord's people.

23:17 All the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

23:18 Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of the Lord under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David.

23:19 He set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord, that no one who was unclean in anything should enter in.

23:20 He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of the Lord: and they came through the upper gate to the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.

23:21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword.

24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Zibiah, of Beersheba.

24:2 Joash did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

24:3 Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he became the father of sons and daughters.

24:4 It happened after this, that Joash intended to restore the house of the Lord.

24:5 He gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money to repair the house of your God from all Israel from year to year. See that you expedite this matter." However the Levites did not do it right away.

24:6 The king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, "Why haven't you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the tent of the testimony?"

24:7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up God's house; and they also gave all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord to the Baals.

24:8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the Lord.

24:9 They made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness.

24:10 All the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

24:11 It was so, that whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the chief priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.

24:12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also such as worked iron and brass to repair the house of the Lord.

24:13 So the workmen worked, and the work of repairing went forward in their hands, and they set up God's house in its state, and strengthened it.

24:14 When they had made an end, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, of which were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.

24:15 But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; one hundred thirty years old was he when he died.

24:16 They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

24:17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them.

24:18 They forsook the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols: and wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness.

24:19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

24:20 The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God, 'Why do you disobey the commandments of the Lord, so that you can't prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.'"

24:21 They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.

24:22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. When he died, he said, "May the Lord look at it, and repay it."

24:23 It happened at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.

24:24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and the Lord delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash.

24:25 When they were departed for him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

24:26 These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

24:27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid on him, and the rebuilding of God's house, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

1 Pet 5:1–14

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed.

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to God; not for dishonest gain, but willingly;

3 neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

4 When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

5 Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, towards one another; for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

7 casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.

8 Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

9 Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

11 To him be the power forever. Amen.

12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!

13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you; and so does Mark, my son.

14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ.

2 Pet 1:1–11

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;

4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness;

7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Job 4:1–21

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 "If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

4 Your words have supported him who was falling, You have made firm the feeble knees.

5 But now it is come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

6 Isn't your piety your confidence? Isn't the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 "Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

8 According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

9 By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 "Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

14 fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

15 Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.

16 It stood still, but I couldn't discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

17 'Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.

19 How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.

21 Isn't their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'