Fasting and Prayer for Protection

21 Then I (A)proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might (B)humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the (C)right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.

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And Jehoshaphat feared, and set [a]himself to (A)seek the Lord, and (B)proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 20:3 Lit. his face

14 (A)Consecrate a fast,
Call (B)a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders
And (C)all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord.

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21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you (A)turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.

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So they gathered together at Mizpah, (A)drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they (B)fasted that day, and said there, (C)“We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

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The People of Nineveh Believe

So the (A)people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.

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29 This shall be a statute forever for you: (A)In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall [a]afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who [b]dwells among you.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 16:29 humble yourselves
  2. Leviticus 16:29 As a resident alien

29 For any person who is not (A)afflicted in soul on that same day (B)shall be cut off from his people.

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A Call to Repentance

12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
(A)“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So (B)rend your heart, and not (C)your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is (D)gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
14 (E)Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave (F)a blessing behind Him—
(G)A grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?

15 (H)Blow the [a]trumpet in Zion,
(I)Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
16 Gather the people,
(J)Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and nursing babes;
(K)Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
And the bride from her dressing room.
17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord,
Weep (L)between the porch and the altar;
Let them say, (M)“Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
That the nations should [b]rule over them.
(N)Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Land Refreshed(O)

18 Then the Lord will (P)be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:15 ram’s horn
  2. Joel 2:17 Or speak a proverb against them

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness (A)in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
(B)Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For (C)I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[a]In You I take shelter.
10 (D)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
(E)Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in (F)the land of uprightness.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And (A)gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

They wandered in (B)the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
(C)Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the (D)right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
(E)Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

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39 For the promise is to you and (A)to your children, and (B)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

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16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.

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(A)Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.

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Servants for the Temple

15 Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the (A)sons of Levi there.

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Jesus Blesses Little Children(A)

13 (B)Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for (C)of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, (D)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will (E)by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

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“In those days and in that time,” says the Lord,
“The children of Israel shall come,
(A)They and the children of Judah together;
(B)With continual weeping they shall come,
(C)And seek the Lord their God.
They shall ask the way to Zion,
With their faces toward it, saying,
‘Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord
In (D)a perpetual covenant
That will not be forgotten.’

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Behold, I will bring them (A)from the north country,
And (B)gather them from the ends of the earth,
Among them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child
And the one who labors with child, together;
A great throng shall return there.
(C)They shall come with weeping,
And with supplications I will lead them.
I will cause them to walk (D)by the rivers of waters,
In a straight way in which they shall not stumble;
For I am a Father to Israel,
And Ephraim is My (E)firstborn.

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23 O Lord, I know the (A)way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

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Is (A)it a fast that I have chosen,
(B)A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And (C)to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?

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