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Daily Bible Reading
September 9 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Chronicles 18
Chapter 18
Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
1 Now (C1)Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage to Ahab.2 (C1)Some years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria, and Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him. And he incited him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.3 Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?" And he said to him, "I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle."
4 However, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please request the word of the LORD (F1)first."5 So the king of Israel assembled the (F1)prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, "Should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for God will hand it over to the king."6 But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of him?"7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything good regarding me, but always bad. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah." But Jehoshaphat said, "May the king not say so."
Ahab's False Prophets Assure Victory
8 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly."9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in their robes, and they were sitting (C1)at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.10 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed!'"11 All the prophets were prophesying this as well, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and be successful, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."Micaiah Brings Word from God
12 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold, the words of the prophets are (F1)unanimously favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them, and speak favorably."13 But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, (C1)whatever my God says, I will speak it."
14 When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" He said, "Go up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you!"15 Then the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear that you will tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"16 So he said, "I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
(C1)Like sheep that have no shepherd.
And the LORD said,
'These people have no master.
Each of them is to return to his house in peace.'"
18 And Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. (C1)I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the (F1)angels of heaven standing on His right and on His left.19 "And the LORD said, 'Who will (F1)entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one spirit said this, while another said that.20 "Then a (C1)spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will (F1)entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'21 "He said, 'I will go out and be (C1)a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You shall (F1)entice him, and you will also prevail. Go out and do so.'22 "Now therefore, behold, (C1)the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, for the LORD has declared disaster against you."
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and (C1)struck Micaiah on the cheek; and he said, "(F1)How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"24 And Micaiah said, "Behold, you are going to see how on that day when you go from one inner room to (F1)another trying to hide yourself."25 Then the king of Israel said, "(C1)Take Micaiah and return him to Amon (C2)the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;26 and say, 'This is what the king says: "(C1)Put this man in prison, and feed him enough bread and water to survive until I (F1)return safely."'"27 But Micaiah said, "If you actually return (F1)safely, the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "(F2)(C1)Listen, all you people!"
Ahab's Defeat and Death
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead.29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.30 Now the king of Aram had commanded the commanders of his chariots, saying, "Do not fight with the small or great, but only with the king of Israel."31 So when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He is the king of Israel!" And they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat (C1)cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him.32 When the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.33 Now one man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel (F1)in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn (F2)around and take me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded."34 The battle raged on that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot in front of the Arameans until the evening; and at sunset he died.
Psalms 78:21-37
Chapter 78
21 Therefore the LORD heard and (F1)was (C1)full of wrath;
And a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also mounted against Israel,
22 Because they (C1)did not believe in God
And did not trust in His salvation.
23 Yet He commanded the clouds above
And (C1)opened the doors of heaven;
24 He (C1)rained down manna upon them to eat,
And gave them (F1)(C2)food from heaven.
25 Man ate the bread of (F1)angels;
He sent them (F2)food (F3)(C1)in abundance.
26 He (C1)made the east wind blow in the sky
And by His (F1)power He directed the south wind.
27 When He rained meat upon them like the dust,
Even (C1)winged fowl like the sand of the seas,
28 He let them fall in the midst of (F1)their camp,
All around their dwellings.
29 So they (C1)ate and were well filled,
And He (F1)satisfied their longing.
30 (F1)Yet before they had abandoned their longing,
(C1)While their food was in their mouths,
31 The (C1)anger of God rose against them
And killed (F1)some of their (C2)strongest ones,
And (F2)subdued the choice men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this they still sinned
And (C2)did not believe in His wonderful works.
33 So He brought (C1)their days to an end in futility,
And their years to an end in sudden terror.
34 When He killed them, then they (C1)sought Him,
And they returned and searched (C2)diligently for God;
35 And they remembered that God was their (C1)rock,
And the Most High God their (C2)Redeemer.
36 But they (C1)flattered Him with their mouth
And (C2)lied to Him with their tongue.
37 For their heart was not (C1)steadfast toward Him,
Nor were they faithful with His covenant.<
John 13:1-20
Chapter 13
The Lord's Supper
1 Now before the Feast of (C1)the Passover, Jesus, knowing that (C2)His hour had come that He would depart from this world (C3)to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them (F1)to the end.2 And during supper, (C1)the devil having already put into the heart of (C2)Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,3 Jesus, (C1)knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that (C2)He had come forth from God and was going back to God,4 (*)got up from supper and (*)laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and (C1)tied it around Himself.
Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet
5 Then He (*)poured water into the basin, and began (C1)washing the disciples' feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself.6 So He (*)came to Simon Peter. He (*)said to Him, "Lord, You are washing my feet?"7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand (C1)later."8 Peter (*)said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "(C1)If I do not wash you, (C2)you have no (F1)place with Me."9 Simon Peter (*)said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!"10 Jesus (*)said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And (C1)you are clean—but (F1)not all of you."11 For (C1)He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, "Not all of you are clean."12 Then, when He had washed their feet, and (C1)taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done for you?13 "You call Me (C1)'Teacher' and (C2)'Lord'; and (F1)you are correct, for so I am.14 "So if I, (C1)the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.15 "For I gave you (C1)an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.16 "Truly, truly I say to you, (C1)a slave is not greater than his master, nor is (F1)(C2)one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.17 "If you know these things, you are (C1)blessed if you do them.18 "(C1)I am not speaking about all of you. I know the ones whom I have (C2)chosen; but this is happening (C3)so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, '(C4)HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.'19 "From now on (C1)I am telling you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that (C2)I am He.20 "Truly, truly I say to you, (C1)the one who (F1)receives anyone I send, (F1)receives Me; and the one who (F1)receives Me (F1)receives Him who sent Me."<
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