◀ All Reading Plans / Book of Common Prayer / Ps. 72; Ps. 119:73–96; 1 Kings 22:1–28; 1 Cor. 2:1–13; Matt. 4:18–25 (New English Translation)

Prev Day

September 16, 2015

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

September 2015
Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30

Return to today's reading

Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 72

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.

72 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions.^[c]
Grant the king’s son^[d] the ability to make fair decisions.^[e]
²Then he will judge^[f] your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones^[g] equitably.
³The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.^[h]
⁴He will defend^[i] the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver^[j] the children^[k] of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
⁵People will fear^[l] you^[m] as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.^[n]
⁶He^[o] will descend like rain on the mown grass,^[p]
like showers that drench^[q] the earth.^[r]
⁷During his days the godly will flourish;^[s]
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.^[t]
⁸May he rule^[u] from sea to sea,^[v]
and from the Euphrates River^[w] to the ends of the earth.
⁹Before him the coastlands^[x] will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.^[y]
¹⁰The kings of Tarshish^[z] and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba^[aa] and Seba^[ab] will bring tribute.
¹¹All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
¹²For he will rescue the needy^[ac] when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed^[ad] who have no defender.
¹³He will take pity^[ae] on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
¹⁴From harm and violence he will defend them;^[af]
he will value their lives.^[ag]
¹⁵May he live!^[ah] May they offer him gold from Sheba.^[ai]
May they continually pray for him.
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long.^[aj]
¹⁶May there be^[ak] an abundance^[al] of grain in the earth;
on the tops^[am] of the mountains may it^[an] sway.^[ao]
May its^[ap] fruit trees^[aq] flourish^[ar] like the forests of Lebanon.^[as]
May its crops^[at] be as abundant^[au] as the grass of the earth.^[av]
¹⁷May his fame endure.^[aw]
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky.^[ax]
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings.^[ay]
May all nations consider him to be favored by God.^[az]
¹⁸The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise.^[ba]
He alone accomplishes amazing things.^[bb]
¹⁹His glorious name deserves praise^[bc] forevermore.
May his majestic splendor^[bd] fill the whole earth.
We agree! We agree!^[be]
²⁰This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.^[bf]

Footnotes

Psalm 72:1 sn Psalm 72. This royal psalm contains a prayer for the Davidic king (note the imperatival form in v. 1 and the jussive forms in vv. 16-17). It is not entirely clear if vv. 2-15 express a prayer or anticipate a future reign. The translation assumes a blend of petition and vision: (I) opening prayer (v. 1), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 2-7); (II) prayer (v. 8), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 9-14); (III) closing prayer (vv. 15-17). Whether a prayer, vision, or combination of the two, the psalm depicts the king’s universal rule of peace and prosperity. As such it is indirectly messianic, for the ideal it expresses will only be fully realized during the Messiah’s earthly reign. Verses 18-19 are a conclusion for Book 2 of the Psalter (Pss 42-72; cf. Ps 41:13, which contains a similar conclusion for Book 1), while v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter.
Psalm 72:1 tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”
Psalm 72:1 sn Grant the king…Grant the king’s son. It is not entirely clear whether v. 1 envisions one individual or two. The phrase “the king’s son” in the second line may simply refer to “the king” of the first line, drawing attention to the fact that he has inherited his dynastic rule. Another option is that v. 1 envisions a co-regency between father and son (a common phenomenon in ancient Israel) or simply expresses a hope for a dynasty that champions justice.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “and your justice to [the] son of [the] king.”
Psalm 72:2 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:2 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
Psalm 72:3 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “judge [for].”
Psalm 72:4 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “sons.”
Psalm 72:5 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8. Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ (v^eyaʾarikh, “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 72:5 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
Psalm 72:5 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
Psalm 72:6 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
Psalm 72:6 tn The rare term גֵּז (gez) refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
Psalm 72:6 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirz^efu). The translation assumes the latter.
Psalm 72:6 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”
Psalm 72:8 tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.
Psalm 72:8 sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.
Psalm 72:8 tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.
Psalm 72:9 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
Psalm 72:9 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
Psalm 72:10 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
Psalm 72:10 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
Psalm 72:10 sn Seba was located in Africa.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:13 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
Psalm 72:14 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).
Psalm 72:14 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
Psalm 72:15 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (y^ekhi hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
Psalm 72:15 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
Psalm 72:15 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
Psalm 72:16 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).
Psalm 72:16 tn The Hebrew noun פִסַּה (pissah; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה (pasah, “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [pasah] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי, פָּסָה, פָּשָׂה). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ (s^efiakh, “second growth”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “top” (singular).
Psalm 72:16 tn That is, the grain.
Psalm 72:16 tn According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.
Psalm 72:16 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “fruit.”
Psalm 72:16 tc According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ (v^eyatsitsu; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav, [ו]) to יָצִיץ (yatsits; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ, piryo, “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר (vaʿamir, “and [its] crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “like Lebanon.”
Psalm 72:16 tc The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (ʿamir, “crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn The translation assumes that the verb צוּץ (tsuts, “flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
Psalm 72:16 tc The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7, as well as Isa 27:6; Pss 92:7; 103:15). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (y^enayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (ʾashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “[be] blessed.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Or “glory.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen v^eʾamen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
Psalm 72:20 tn Heb “the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded.” As noted earlier, v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter. In the present arrangement of the Book of Psalms, not all psalms prior to this are attributed to David (see Pss 1-2, 10, 33, 42-50, 66-67, 71-72) and several psalms attributed to David appear after this (see Pss 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145).

Psalm 119:73-96

י (Yod)

⁷³Your hands made me and formed me.^[a]
Give me understanding so that I might learn^[b] your commands.
⁷⁴Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me,^[c]
for I find hope in your word.
⁷⁵I know, Lord, that your regulations^[d] are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.^[e]
⁷⁶May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant.^[f]
⁷⁷May I experience your compassion,^[g] so I might live.
For I find delight in your law.
⁷⁸May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me.^[h]
But I meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹May your loyal followers^[i] turn to me,
those who know your rules.
⁸⁰May I be fully committed to your statutes,^[j]
so that I might not be ashamed.

כ (Kaf)

⁸¹I desperately long for^[k] your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
⁸²My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.^[l]
I say,^[m] “When will you comfort me?”
⁸³For^[n] I am like a wineskin^[o] dried up in smoke.^[p]
I do not forget your statutes.
⁸⁴How long must your servant endure this?^[q]
When will you judge those who pursue me?
⁸⁵The arrogant dig pits to trap me,^[r]
which violates your law.^[s]
⁸⁶All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason.^[t] Help me!
⁸⁷They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
⁸⁸Revive me with^[u] your loyal love,
that I might keep^[v] the rules you have revealed.^[w]

ל (Lamed)

⁸⁹O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven.^[x]
⁹⁰You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations.^[y]
You established the earth and it stood firm.
⁹¹Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
⁹²If I had not found encouragement in your law,^[z]
I would have died in my sorrow.^[aa]
⁹³I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
⁹⁴I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
⁹⁵The wicked prepare to kill me,^[ab]
yet I concentrate on your rules.
⁹⁶I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:73 tn Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6, where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.
Psalm 119:73 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:74 tn Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”
Psalm 119:75 tn In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.
Psalm 119:75 tn Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”
Psalm 119:76 tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”
Psalm 119:77 tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”
Psalm 119:78 tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”
Psalm 119:79 tn Heb “those who fear you.”
Psalm 119:80 tn Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”
Psalm 119:81 tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “saying.”
Psalm 119:83 tn Or “even though.”
Psalm 119:83 tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (noʾd, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).
Psalm 119:83 tn Heb “in the smoke.”
Psalm 119:84 tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “for me.”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”
Psalm 119:86 sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “according to.”
Psalm 119:88 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
Psalm 119:89 tn Heb “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord, [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61. The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169. In this case one might translate, “O Lord, your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”
Psalm 119:90 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Or “my suffering.”
Psalm 119:95 tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”
Psalm 119:96 tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).

1 Kings 22:1-28

Ahab Dies in Battle

22 There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years.^[a] ²In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit^[b] the king of Israel. ³The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.”^[c] ⁴Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.”^[d] ⁵But then Jehoshaphat said to Israel’s king, “Please seek a message from the Lord this very day.”^[e] ⁶So the king of Israel assembled about 400 prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?”^[f] They said, “Attack! The Sovereign One^[g] will hand it over to the king.” ⁷But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” ⁸The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will.^[h] But I despise^[i] him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”^[j] Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.” ⁹The king of Israel summoned an official and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

¹⁰Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones,^[k] dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹¹Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” ¹²All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” ¹³Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed.^[l] Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.”^[m] ¹⁴But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”

¹⁵When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.”^[n] ¹⁶The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in^[o] the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” ¹⁷Micaiah^[p] said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” ¹⁸The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” ¹⁹Micaiah^[q] said, “That being the case, listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing beside him on his right and on his left. ²⁰The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die^[r] there?’ One said this and another that. ²¹Then a spirit^[s] stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ ²²The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord^[t] said, ‘Deceive and overpower him.^[u] Go out and do as you have proposed.’ ²³So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” ²⁴Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s Spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” ²⁵Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” ²⁶Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. ²⁷Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water^[v] until I safely return.”’”^[w] ²⁸Micaiah said, “If you really do safely return, then the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take note,^[x] all you people.”

Footnotes

1 Kings 22:1 tn Heb “and they lived three years without war between Aram and Israel.”
1 Kings 22:2 tn The word “visit” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
1 Kings 22:3 tn Heb “Do you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, and we hesitate to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course, you must know!”
1 Kings 22:4 tn Heb “Like me, like you; like my people, like your people; like my horses; like your horses.”
1 Kings 22:5 sn Jehoshaphat is requesting a prophetic oracle revealing the Lord’s will in the matter and their prospects for success. For examples of such oracles, see 2 Sam 5:19, 23-24.
1 Kings 22:6 tn Heb “Should I go against Ramoth Gilead for war or should I refrain?”
1 Kings 22:6 tn Though Jehoshaphat requested an oracle from “the Lord” (יְהוָה, Yahweh), they stop short of actually using this name and substitute the title אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay, “lord; master”). This ambiguity may explain in part Jehoshaphat’s hesitancy and caution (vv. 7-8). He seems to doubt that the four hundred are genuine prophets of the Lord.
1 Kings 22:8 tn Heb “to seek the Lord from him.”
1 Kings 22:8 tn Or “hate.”
1 Kings 22:8 tn The words “his name is” are supplied for stylistic reasons.
1 Kings 22:10 tn Heb “were sitting, a man on his throne.”
1 Kings 22:13 tn Heb “the words of the prophets are [with] one mouth good for the king.”
1 Kings 22:13 tn Heb “let your words be like the word of each of them and speak good.”
1 Kings 22:15 sn “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” One does not expect Micaiah, having just vowed to speak only what the Lord tells him, to agree with the other prophets and give the king an inaccurate prophecy. Micaiah’s actions became understandable later, when it is revealed that the Lord desires to deceive the king and lead him to his demise. The Lord even dispatches a lying spirit to deceive Ahab’s prophets. Micaiah can lie to the king because he realizes this lie is from the Lord. It is important to note that in v. 14 Micaiah only vows to speak the word of the Lord; he does not necessarily say he will tell the truth. In this case the Lord’s word itself is deceptive. Only when the king adjures him to tell the truth (v. 16), does Micaiah do so.
1 Kings 22:16 tn Or “swear an oath by.”
1 Kings 22:17 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1 Kings 22:19 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Micaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1 Kings 22:20 tn Heb “and fall.”
1 Kings 22:21 tn Heb “the spirit.” The significance of the article prefixed to רוּחַ (ruakh) is uncertain, but it could contain a clue as to this spirit’s identity, especially when interpreted in light of v. 24. It is certainly possible, and probably even likely, that the article is used in a generic or dramatic sense and should be translated, “a spirit.” In the latter case it would show that this spirit was vivid and definite in the mind of Micaiah the storyteller. However, if one insists that the article indicates a well-known or universally known spirit, the following context provides a likely referent. Verse 24 tells how Zedekiah slapped Micaiah in the face and then asked sarcastically, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord (רוּחַ־יְהוָה, [ruakh Yahweh], Heb “the spirit of the Lord”) go when he went from me to speak to you?” When the phrase “the spirit of the Lord” refers to the divine spirit (rather than the divine breath or mind, Isa 40:7, 13) elsewhere, the spirit energizes an individual or group for special tasks or moves one to prophesy. This raises the possibility that the deceiving spirit of vv. 20-23 is the same as the divine spirit mentioned by Zedekiah in v. 24. This would explain why the article is used on רוּחַ; he can be called “the spirit” because he is the well-known spirit who energizes the prophets.
1 Kings 22:22 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1 Kings 22:22 tn The Hebrew text has two imperfects connected by וְגַם (v^egam). These verbs could be translated as specific futures, “you will deceive and also you will prevail,” in which case the Lord is assuring the spirit of success on his mission. However, in a commissioning context (note the following imperatives) such as this, it is more likely that the imperfects are injunctive, in which case one could translate, “Deceive, and also overpower.”
1 Kings 22:27 tn Heb “the bread of affliction and the water of affliction.”
1 Kings 22:27 tn Heb “come in peace.” So also in v. 28.
1 Kings 22:28 tn Heb “Listen.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-13

2 When I came^[a] to you, brothers and sisters,^[b] I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony^[c] of God. ²For I decided to be concerned about nothing^[d] among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling. ⁴My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Wisdom from God

⁶Now we do speak wisdom among the mature,^[e] but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing. ⁷Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. ⁸None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined,^[f] are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”^[g] ¹⁰God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. ¹³And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.^[h]

Footnotes

1 Corinthians 2:1 tn Grk “and I, when I came.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, κἀγώ (kagō) has not been translated here.
1 Corinthians 2:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
1 Corinthians 2:1 tc ‡ A few significant mss (P^46vid א* A C as well as some versions and fathers) read μυστήριον (mustērion, “mystery”) instead of μαρτύριον (marturion, “testimony”). But the latter has wider ms support (א² B D F G Ψ 33 1739 1881 M and some versions), though not quite as impressive. μαρτύριον may have been changed by scribes in anticipation of Paul’s words in 2:7, or conversely, μυστήριον may have been changed to conform to 1:6. Transcriptionally, since “the mystery of God/Christ” is a well-worn expression in the corpus Paulinum (1 Cor 2:7; 4:1; Eph 3:4; Col 2:2; 4:3), while “testimony of Christ” occurs in Paul only once (1 Cor 1:6, though “testimony of the Lord” appears in 2 Tim 1:8), and “testimony of God” never, it is likely that scribes changed the text to the more usual expression. A decision is difficult in this instance, but a slight preference should be given to μαρτύριον.
1 Corinthians 2:2 tn Grk “to know nothing.”
1 Corinthians 2:6 tn In extrabiblical literature this word was applied to an initiate of a mystery religion (BDAG 995 s.v. τέλειος 3, gives numerous examples and states this was a technical term of the mystery religions). It could here refer to those who believed Paul’s message, the mystery of God (v. 1), and so be translated as “those who believe God’s message.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 tn Grk “entered the heart,” an OT expression, in which the heart functions like the mind.
1 Corinthians 2:9 sn A quotation from Isa 64:4.
1 Corinthians 2:13 tn Or “combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (i.e., words the Spirit gives, as just described).

Matthew 4:18-25

The Call of the Disciples

¹⁸As^[a] he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).^[b] ¹⁹He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!”^[c] ²⁰They^[d] left their nets immediately and followed him.^[e] ²¹Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, in a boat^[f] with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Then^[g] he called them. ²²They^[h] immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus’ Healing Ministry

²³Jesus^[i] went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,^[j] preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness^[k] among the people. ²⁴So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People^[l] brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures,^[m] paralytics, and those possessed by demons,^[n] and he healed them. ²⁵And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[o] Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan River.^[p]

Footnotes

Matthew 4:18 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Matthew 4:18 tn The two phrases in this verse placed in parentheses are explanatory comments by the author, parenthetical in nature.
Matthew 4:19 tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”sn The kind of fishing envisioned was net—not line—fishing (cf. v. 18; cf. also BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφιβάλλω, ἀμφίβληστρον) which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point in using the analogy may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new “catch” (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment (cf. W. L. Lane, Mark [NICNT], 67). If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to rescue them from eternal destruction and to give them new life.
Matthew 4:20 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Matthew 4:20 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
Matthew 4:21 tn Or “in their boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ (en tō ploiō) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do here); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark (unlike Matthew) assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence in Mark the translation “their boat” is justified (Mark 1:19; cf. also Mark 1:20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats)sn In 1986 following a period of drought and low lake levels, a fishing boat from the first century was discovered on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was excavated and preserved and can now be seen in the Yigal Allon Museum in Kibbutz Ginosar north of Tiberias. The remains of the boat are 27 ft (8.27 m) long and 7.5 ft (2.3 m) wide; it could be rowed by four rowers and had a mast for a sail. The boat is now known as the “Jesus boat” or the “Sea of Galilee boat” although there is no known historical connection of any kind with Jesus or his disciples. However, the boat is typical for the period and has provided archaeologists with much information about design and construction of boats on the Sea of Galilee in the first century.
Matthew 4:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Matthew 4:22 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Matthew 4:23 tn Grk “And he.”
Matthew 4:23 sn Synagogues were places for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
Matthew 4:23 tn Grk “every [kind of] disease and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons. The present translation, like several other translations (e.g., NASB, CEV, NLT), has opted for “every kind of disease and sickness” here, understanding the Greek term πᾶς to refer to “everything belonging, in kind, to the class designated by the noun” (BDAG 784 s.v. 5).
Matthew 4:24 tn Grk “And they”; “they” is probably an indefinite plural, referring to people in general rather than to the Syrians (cf. v. 25).
Matthew 4:24 tn Grk “those who were moonstruck,” possibly meaning “lunatic” (so NAB), although now the term is generally regarded as referring to some sort of seizure disorder such as epilepsy (L&N 23.169; BDAG 919 s.v. σεληνιάζομαι).
Matthew 4:24 tn The translation has adopted a different phrase order here than that in the Greek text. The Greek text reads, “People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those possessed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics.” Even though it is obvious that four separate groups of people are in view here, following the Greek word order could lead to the misconception that certain people were possessed by epileptics and paralytics. The word order adopted in the translation avoids this problem.
Matthew 4:25 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the places in the list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.sn The Decapolis refers to a group of towns (originally consisting of ten; the Greek name literally means “ten towns”) whose region (except for Scythopolis) lay on the east side of the Jordan River. Although frequently seen as a league of independent city states organized by the Roman general Pompey, contemporary sources do not support such a view. Rather their unity came from their Greek (Hellenistic) culture and religions, which set them apart from surrounding areas.
Matthew 4:25 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).

New English Translation (NET)

Prev Day

Top

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

Log in to read this devotional and:

Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 72[a]

For[b] Solomon.

Footnotes

י (Yod)

כ (Kaf)

ל (Lamed)

Footnotes

Ahab Dies in Battle

Footnotes

Wisdom from God

Footnotes

The Call of the Disciples

Jesus’ Healing Ministry

Footnotes

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.