Rescue the Weak and Needy

A Psalm of ^(A)Asaph.

Preparations for Building the Temple

5 ^[a] Now ^(A)Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, ^(B)for Hiram always loved David. ² And Solomon sent word to Hiram, ^3 (C)“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God ^(D)because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. ^4 (E)But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. ⁵ And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, ^(F)as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ ⁶ Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

⁷ As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” ⁸ And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. ⁹ My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes ^(G)by providing food for my household.” ¹⁰ So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, ¹¹ while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors^[b] of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000^[c] cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. ¹² And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, ^(H)as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

¹³ King Solomon drafted ^(I)forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. ¹⁴ And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. ^(J)Adoniram was in charge of the draft. ¹⁵ Solomon also ^(K)had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, ¹⁶ besides Solomon's 3,300 ^(L)chief officers who were over the work, ^(M)who had charge of the people who carried on the work. ¹⁷ At the king's command ^(N)they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. ¹⁸ So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and ^(O)the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

²⁰ “But ^(A)when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that ^(B)its desolation has come near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, ²² for these are ^(C)days of ^(D)vengeance, to fulfill ^(E)all that is written. ^23 (F)Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and ^(G)wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and ^(H)be led captive among all nations, and ^(I)Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, ^(J)until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁵ “And ^(K)there will be signs in sun and moon ^(L)and stars, and on the earth ^(M)distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶ people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For ^(N)the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see ^(O)the Son of Man coming in a cloud ^(P)with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and ^(Q)raise your heads, because ^(R)your redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁹ And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. ³⁰ As soon as they come out in leaf, you see ^(S)for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. ³¹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ^32 (T)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. ^33 (U)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(V)my words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

³⁴ “But watch yourselves ^(W)lest ^(X)your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and ^(Y)cares of this life, and ^(Z)that day come upon you suddenly ^(AA)like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ But ^(AB)stay awake at all times, ^(AC)praying that you may ^(AD)have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and ^(AE)to stand before the Son of Man.”

³⁷ And ^(AF)every day he was teaching in the temple, but ^(AG)at night he went out and lodged on ^(AH)the mount called Olivet. ³⁸ And early in the morning ^(AI)all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.