Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁶ Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

¹⁷ O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁸ For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

¹⁹ A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

²⁰ Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

²¹ Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

²⁰ And Absalom her brother said to her: Hath thy brother Amnon lain with thee? but now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing. So Thamar remained pining away in the house of Absalom her brother.

²¹ And when king David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Amnon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.

²² But Absalom spoke not to Amnon neither good nor evil: for Absalom hated Amnon because he had ravished his sister Thamar.

²³ And it came to pass after two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhasor, which is near Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons:

²⁴ And he came to the king, and said to him: Behold thy servant's sheep are shorn. Let the king, I pray, with his servants come to his servant.

²⁵ And the king said to Absalom: Nay, my son, do not ask that we should all come, and be chargeable to thee. And when he pressed him, and he would not go, he blessed him.

²⁶ And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at least let my brother Amnon, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he should go with thee.

²⁷ But Absalom pressed him, so that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king.

²⁸ And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying: Take notice when Amnon shall be drunk with wine, and when I shall say to you: Strike him, and kill him, fear not: for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men.

²⁹ And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded them. And all the king's sons arose and got up every man upon his mule, and fled.

³⁰ And while they were yet in the way, a rumour came to David, saying: Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

³¹ Then the king rose up, and rent his garments: and fell upon the ground, and all his servants, that stood about him, rent their garments.

³² But Jonadab the son of Semmaa David's brother answering, said: Let not my lord the king think that all the king's sons are slain: Amnon only is dead, for he was appointed by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he ravished his sister Thamar.

³³ Now therefore let not my lord the king take this thing into his heart, saying: All the king's sons are slain: for Amnon only is dead.

³⁴ But Absalom fled away: and the young man that kept the watch, lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there came much people by a by-way on the side of the mountain.

³⁵ And Jonadab said to the king: Behold the king's sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is.

³⁶ And when he made an end of speaking, the king's sons also appeared: and coming in they lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very much.

8 In those days again, when there was a great multitude, and had nothing to eat; calling his disciples together, he saith to them:

² I have compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.

³ And if I shall send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way; for some of them came from afar off.

⁴ And his disciples answered him: From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness?

⁵ And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? Who said: Seven.

⁶ And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke, and gave to his disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people.

⁷ And they had a few little fishes; and he blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them.

⁸ And they did eat and were filled; and they took up that which was left of the fragments, seven baskets.

⁹ And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away.

¹⁰ And immediately going up into a ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha.