Today's Readings and Stuff -- Tuesday, 13 March 2018

 If everything progresses, then one week from today will mark the Spring Equinox.  Very nice.  Would be nicer if we hadn't had snow falling yesterday, and last night.  And more today, a few light flakes falling now.  Moreover, there is a weird tradition in these parts.  Saturday, just a few days hence, is St. Patrick's Day.  Often enough to be part of local folklore, that day is marked with the annual St. Patrick's Day Blizzard.  It does not always happen, of course, but it happens often enough that the locals somewhat expect it.  Some of them actually like snow, for reasons I can't fathom.  So, we shall see what the next week holds in store for us.  I'd like temperatures to be a nice, mild, 82° with sun and a light breeze, year around.  But my wishes were not requested, the story of my life.


Wife was trading messages with someone on the FaceBook "buy-sell-trade" site yesterday.  If all holds, we may be taking a trip into the largest of the near-by cities in the county just south of us, and buying a used-but-in-good-condition clothes dryer.  My Social Security check is on schedule for a week from today, but she'd saved back enough to get this.  Just barely, but enough.  And I have enough gas in the chariot to make the round trip.  Waiting to hear but hopeful  She's supposed to be "watching" the kids next door from about 11:30 -- 4:30 p.m. today, so we're working around that.  And just got a call: that 11:30 start has been pushed back to 3:00 p.m.  Had we known that earlier, we could be picking that item up right now.  But Niece's workplace had not notified her of the change until shortly before time for Wife to go over.  Our chariot is large enough (a 2000 Ford SUV) to hold such an item.
But now .... Wife's niece called yesterday, passing a message from her husband who was the in-between for someone he knows.  Would we be willing to make a trade, no money exchanged, for a slightly newer sedan?  All the windows, doors, and A/C work, which our buggy doesn't:  passenger window doesn't work, the door behind driver can't be opened, the A/C is about out of Freon, has more than 220,000 miles on it, oil leaks, chips in windshield, etc.  Lousy gas mileage too, particularly local driving inasmuch as ODOT, PENNDOT, and the local politicos (and their otherwise unemployable relatives) seem engaged in a race to see who can arrange the traffic signals so as to prevent the flow of traffic to the maximum extent possible, including sticking "no right on red" signs wherever possible. Rendered far worse when the A/C is trying to run.  (I go through 10 traffic signals en route to church, for example.  VERY common to stop at ALL, and  several are operated only by a timer, ignoring thereby the realities of the situation.  One has a big "no right on red" sign, ignoring the fact that 75-80% of that southbound traffic needs to make a right turn there.  1/4-mile long lines waiting are common. Some fools got paid for that  idiocy.).  So a more fuel-efficient ride would be nice, and the other party needs an SUV.  Niece's husband will go over it first to make sure it's up to snuff and reliable.  We've given a tentative OK.


 An apology: I did get off-schedule in the last few days.  The New Testament and Poetry sections that were to have been posted yesterday, per the schedule, actually went out on Saturday.  So things got a bit discombobulated, to use a very old term.  My fault, I don't seem to be able to do very much right.

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Numbers 25

1  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

2  And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

3  And Israel joined himself unto Baal–peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

4  And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.

5  And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal–peor.

6  And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

7  And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;

8  And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

9  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

10  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

11  Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

12  Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:

13  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

14  Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.

15  And the name of the Midianite woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.

16  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

17  Vex the Midianites, and smite them:

18  For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.

Numbers 26

1  And it came to pass after the plague, that the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

2  Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

3  And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

4  Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.

5  Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

6  Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

7  These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.

8  And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.

9  And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the Lord:

10  And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.

11  Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.

12  The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:

13  Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.Zerah: also called, Zohar

14  These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.

15  The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites

16  Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites

17  Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.Arod: also called, Arodi

18  These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.

19  The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

20  And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

21  And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

22  These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.

23  Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Puah, the family of the Punites:

24  Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.

25  These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.

26  Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites

27  These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.

28  The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.

29  Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.

30  These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:

31  And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:

32  And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

33  And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

34  These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.

35  These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

37  These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.

38  The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites

39  Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites

40  And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.Ard: also called, Addar

41  These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.

42  These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.

43  All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.

44  Of the children of Asher after their families: of Imnah, the family of the Jimnites: of Ishvi, the family of the Jesuites:of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

45  Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

46  And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.

47  These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

48  Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites

49  Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

50  These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.

51  These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

52  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

53  Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.

54To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.give the more…

55  Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

56  According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

57  And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

58  These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.

59  And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

60  And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

61  And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord.

62  And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

63  These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

64  But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

65  For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

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Psalm 52

To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.

 

1  Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

2  Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

3  Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

4  Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

5  God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

6  The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

7  Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness

8  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

9  I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

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yes, the Alabaster Box

that song is more than a bit appropriate for this passage.
  

Luke 7

1  Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

3  And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

4  And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:

5  For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

6  Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

7  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

8  For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

9  When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

10  And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

11  And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

14  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

16  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

17  And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

18  And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

19  And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

20  When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

21  And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

22  Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

23  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

24  And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

25  But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

29  And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

30  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

31  And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

36And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38  And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50  And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.