Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A psalm of David when he was with Abimelek and pretended to be out of his mind. Abimelek drove him away, and David left.

Messengers Come From Babylon to Hezekiah

¹² At that time Marduk-Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Marduk-Baladan was the son of Baladan. ¹³ Hezekiah received the messengers. He showed them everything in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and gold. He showed them the spices and the fine olive oil. He showed them where he kept his weapons. And he showed them all his treasures. In fact, he showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom.

¹⁴ Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah. He asked him, “What did those men say? Where did they come from?”

“They came from a land far away,” Hezekiah said. “They came from Babylon.”

¹⁵ The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”

“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “I showed them all my treasures.”

¹⁶ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the Lord’s message. He says, ¹⁷ ‘You can be sure the time will come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Everything the kings before you have stored up until this day will be taken away. There will not be anything left,’ says the Lord. ¹⁸ ‘Some of the members of your family line will be taken away. They will be your own flesh and blood. They will include the children who will be born into your family line in years to come. And they will serve the king of Babylon in his palace.’ ”

¹⁹ “The message the Lord has spoken through you is good,” Hezekiah replied. He thought, “There will be peace and safety while I’m still living.”

Melchizedek the Priest

7 Melchizedek was the king of Salem. He was the priest of God Most High. He met Abraham, who was returning from winning a battle over some kings. Melchizedek blessed him. ² Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of what is right.” Also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³ Melchizedek has no father or mother. He has no family line. His days have no beginning. His life has no end. He remains a priest forever. In this way, he is like the Son of God.

⁴ Think how great Melchizedek was! Even our father Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured. ⁵ Now the law lays down a rule for the sons of Levi who become priests. They must collect a tenth from the people. They must collect it from the other Israelites. They must do this, even though all of them belong to the family line of Abraham. ⁶ Melchizedek did not trace his family line from Levi. But he collected a tenth from Abraham. Melchizedek blessed the one who had received the promises. ⁷ Without a doubt, the more important person blesses the less important one. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die. But in the other case, it is collected by the one who is said to be living. ⁹ Levi collects the tenth. But we might say that Levi paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰ That’s because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in Abraham’s body.