Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
118 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they who search his testimonies: that seek him with their whole heart.
14 I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on thy commandments: and I will consider thy ways.
16 I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words.
17 GIMEL. Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words.
18 Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.
19 I am a sojourner on the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
20 My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times.
21 Thou hast rebuked the proud: they are cursed who decline from thy commandments.
22 Remove from reproach and contempt: because I have sought after thy testimonies.
23 For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications.
24 For thy testimonies are my meditation: and thy justifications my counsel.
17 But Sisara fleeing came to the tent of Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Asor, and the house of Haber the Cinite.
18 And Jahel went forth to meet Sisara, and said to him: Come in to me, my lord, come in, fear not. He went in to her tent, and being covered by her with a cloak,
19 Said to her: Give me, I beseech thee, a little water, for I am very thirsty. She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, and covered him.
20 And Sisara said to her: Stand before the door of the tent, and when any shall come and inquire of thee, saying: Is there any man here? thou shalt say: There is none.
21 So Jahel Haber's wife took a nail of the tent, and taking also a hammer: and going in softly, and with silence, she put the nail upon the temples of his head, and striking it With the hammer, drove it through his brain fast into the ground: and so passing from deep sleep to death, he fainted away and died.
22 And behold Barac came pursuing after Sisara: and Jahel went out to meet him, and said to him: Come, and I will shew thee, the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, be saw Sisara lying dead, and the nail fastened in his temples.
23 So God that day humbled Jabin the king of Chanaan before the children of Israel:
24 Blessed among women be Jahel the wife of Haber the Cinite, and blessed be she in her tent.
25 He asked her water and she gave him milk, and offered him butter in a dish fit for princes.
26 She put her left hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workman's hammer, and she struck Sisara, seeking in his head a place for the wound, and strongly piercing through his temples.
27 At her feet he fell: he fainted, and he died: he rolled before her feet, and he lay lifeless and wretched.
28 His mother looked out at a window, and howled: and she spoke from the dining room: Why is his chariot so long in coming back? Why are the feet of his horses so slow?
29 One that was wiser than the rest of his wives, returned this answer to her mother in law:
30 Perhaps he is now dividing the spoils, and the fairest of the women is chosen out for him: garments of divers colours are given to Sisara for his prey, and furniture of different kinds is heaped together to adorn the necks.
31 So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love thee shine, as the sun shineth in his rising.
12 And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered.
3 And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns: and on his head seven diadems:
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, that there they should feed her a thousand two hundred sixty days.
7 And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels:
8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death.
12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Woe to the earth, and to the sea, because the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
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