Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
93 Adonai is king, robed in majesty;
Adonai is robed, girded with strength;
The world is well established;
it cannot be moved.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
you have existed forever.
3 Adonai, the deep is raising up,
the deep is raising up its voice,
the deep is raising its crashing waves.
4 More than the sound of rushing waters
or the mighty breakers of the sea,
Adonai on high is mighty.
5 Your instructions are very sure;
holiness befits your house,
Adonai, for all time to come.
20 Then the king issued this order to Hilkiyahu, Achikam the son of Shafan, ‘Avdon the son of Mikhah, Shafan the secretary and ‘Asayah the king’s servant: 21 “Go, and consult Adonai for me and for the people left in Isra’el and Y’hudah in regard to what is written in this scroll which has been found. For Adonai must be furious at us, since our ancestors did not observe the word of Adonai and do everything written in this scroll.” 22 So Hilkiyahu and those the king had ordered went to Huldah the prophet, the wife of Shalum the son of Tok’hat, the son of Hasrat, keeper of the wardrobe — she lived in the Second Quarter of Yerushalayim — and spoke with her about this. 23 She told them, “Adonai the God of Isra’el says to tell the man who sent you to me 24 that Adonai says this: ‘I am going to bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses written in the scroll they read to the king of Y’hudah; 25 because they have abandoned me and offered to other gods, in order to provoke me with everything they do. Therefore my anger is poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’
26 “But you are to tell the king of Y’hudah, who sent you to consult Adonai, that Adonai the God of Isra’el also says this: ‘In regard to the words you have heard, 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants — you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and cried before me — I have also heard you,’ says Adonai. 28 ‘Here, I will gather you to your ancestors; you will go to your grave in peace; and your eyes will not see all the calamity I am going to bring on this place and its inhabitants.’” So they brought back word to the king.
29 Then the king summoned and assembled all the leaders of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim. 30 The king went up to the house of Adonai with all the men of Y’hudah, those living in Yerushalayim, the cohanim, the L’vi’im and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their hearing everything written in the scroll of the covenant that had been found in the house of Adonai. 31 The king stood in his place and made a covenant in the presence of Adonai to live following Adonai, observing his mitzvot, instructions and laws wholeheartedly and with all his being, so as to perform the words of the covenant written in this scroll. 32 Then, after he had all the people in Yerushalayim and Binyamin stand in affirmation of it, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim acted in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
33 Yoshiyahu removed all the abominable idols from all the territories belonging to the people of Isra’el, and he made everyone in Isra’el serve Adonai their God. Throughout his lifetime, they did not stop following Adonai, the God of their ancestors.
25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai. 27 Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, 28 Shim‘on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said,
29 “Now, Adonai, according to your word,
your servant is at peace as you let him go;
30 for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu‘ah,
31 which you prepared in the presence of all peoples —
32 a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim
and glory to your people Isra’el.”
33 Yeshua’s father and mother were marvelling at the things Shim‘on was saying about him. 34 Shim‘on blessed them and said to the child’s mother, Miryam,
“This child will cause many in Isra’el to fall and to rise,
he will become a sign whom people will speak against;
35 moreover, a sword will pierce your own heart too.
All this will happen in order to reveal many people’s inmost thoughts.”
36 There was also a prophet named Hannah Bat-P’nu’el, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman — she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage 37 and had remained a widow ever since; now she was eighty-four. She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying. 38 She came by at that moment and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was waiting for Yerushalayim to be liberated.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.