Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

NUN.

¹⁰⁵ ¶ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my way.

¹⁰⁶ ¶ I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep the judgments of thy righteousness.

¹⁰⁷ ¶ I am afflicted very much; cause me to live, O LORD, according to thy word.

¹⁰⁸ ¶ Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

¹⁰⁹ ¶ My soul is continually in my hand; yet I do not forget thy law.

¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet did not I err from thy precepts.

¹¹¹ ¶ I have taken thy testimonies as a heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

¹¹² I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end.

³ And in the year eighteen of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,

⁴ Go up to Hilkiah, the high priest, that he may sum the silver which has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people;

⁵ and let them deliver it into the hands of those that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD; and let them give it to those that do the work in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,

⁶ unto carpenters and builders and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house;

⁷ and there is to be no accounting required of those unto whom the money is delivered because they deal faithfully.

⁸ Then Hilkiah, the high priest, said unto Shaphan, the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

⁹ And Shaphan, the scribe, came to the king and brought the king word again and said, Thy slaves have gathered the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of those that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.

¹⁰ Likewise, Shaphan, the scribe, declared unto the king, saying, Hilkiah, the priest, has delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

¹¹ ¶ And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes.

¹² And the king commanded Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Achbor, the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan, the scribe, and Asahiah, a slave of the king’s, saying,

¹³ Go and enquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found, for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

¹⁴ So Hilkiah, the priest, and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went unto Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe, who dwelt in Jerusalem in the house of doctrine; and they spoke with her.

¹⁵ And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

¹⁶ Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read,

¹⁷ because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore, my wrath is kindled against this place and shall not be quenched.

¹⁸ But to the king of Judah who sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Because thou didst hear the words of the book,

¹⁹ and thy heart became tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD when thou didst hear what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become desolate and cursed, and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.

²⁰ Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

² God has not cast away his people whom he knew beforehand. Know ye not what the scripture says of Elijah? how speaking to God against Israel, he said,

³ Lord, they have killed thy prophets and ruined thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

⁴ But what did the answer of God say unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee before Baal.

⁵ Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant by the gracious election of God.

⁶ And if by grace, then is it not by works; otherwise, the grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, then it is no longer grace; otherwise, the work is no longer work.

⁷ What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks after; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded

⁸ (according as it is written, God has given them the spirit of anguish, eyes with which they do not see and ears with which they do not hear) unto this day.

⁹ And David says, Let their table be turned into a snare and a net and a stumblingblock and a recompense unto them;

¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always.